Region’s largest entrepreneurship festival expands prize categories for pitch competition
- The Investors Lounge will provide a structured environment for one-on-one meetings between startups and 100 investors
- The Founders Stage will host 30 panel discussions, keynotes, and talks that examine the realities of building and scaling ventures today.
Sharjah, January 23, 2026
The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) will return for its ninth edition with a clear focus on accelerating startup growth, investment readiness, and meaningful market access through Startup Town, powered by du Business, an operating sub-brand under du, the leading telecom and digital services provider. As a telecom champion for entrepreneurs, du Business brings specialized connectivity solutions and digital expertise to support the entrepreneurial journey. Designed as a high-impact platform rather than a showcase alone, the zone brings together founders, investors, and ecosystem enablers to convert ideas into scalable businesses and long-term partnerships.
Startup Town will feature startups, presenting innovation-led products and services spanning technology, digital solutions, creative industries, and emerging business models. At the heart of the zone, the Investors Lounge will provide a structured environment for one-on-one meetings between startups and a curated group of investors, creating direct opportunities to explore funding, strategic partnerships, and market expansion.
Anchoring the experience, the Founders Stage will host 30 panel discussions, keynotes, and talks that examine the realities of building and scaling ventures today. Sessions will focus on current market dynamics, investment trends, and the challenges founders face as they navigate growth, talent, and global competitiveness, reinforcing Startup Town’s role as a practical, founder-first environment within SEF.
Underscoring the significance of Startup Town, H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), which organizes SEF, noted: “Startup Town is designed as a practical space for dialogue. It brings founders together with investors and experienced leaders and helps them make clearer decisions as their businesses grow. This direct engagement enables entrepreneurs to evaluate their business models realistically, better understand what it takes to be investment-ready, and build balanced, sustainable pathways that reflect their ambition, while aligning with market expectations.”
Karim Benkirane, CCO at du said: “Powering Startup Town aligns with du Business’s mission to accelerate digital transformation across the UAE. We’re proud to support a platform that connects ambitious founders with the resources, networks, and strategic guidance essential for building tomorrow’s leading enterprises. This partnership reinforces our commitment to fostering innovation and creating sustainable pathways for startup success in the region.”
From venture capital to alternative finance, packed agenda covers diverse topics
Taking to the Founders Stage this year are renowned entrepreneurs, CEOs and business leaders who will discuss the future of venture capital, creating alternative finance models, latest developments in agritech, and a wide range of other dynamics impacting the startup sector.
Christos Mastoras, Founder and Managing Partner of Iliad Partners, will join an esteemed panel of investment specialists to analyse the near-term projection for venture capital. Last year was heavily dominated by investment in AI, accounting for more than half of the $512 billion value of deals in the VC market globally. Also, in her talk on AI startups, Laura Modiano, Head of Start-Ups at OpenAI, will outline the most pressing challenges and opportunities available in this sector’s next phase. Adding a regional perspective, Tala Al Jabri, Founder and Managing Partner of Wyld VC will share her experience in raising an AI MENA Fund.
Parthi Duraisamy, Cofounder of Alaan, will explain how founders and employees can create liquidity before exiting a startup by selling privately-held shares. This alternative to IPOs and Merges and Acquisitions is gaining traction as seen in global deal volumes in the secondaries market, which surpassed $200 billion in 2025 – 30% higher than 2024.
In addition to finance and technology, healthcare and wellness topics will also be explored at Startup Town. Vadim Fedetov, Founder and CEO of Bioniq will take part in a session titled What Happens When Two Worlds Collide: Athletes Turned Founders, while Dr Ihzan Al Marzooqi, Co-founder and Managing Director of Glucare will lead a session titled Co-Founding, Unfiltered: Roles, Power, and Trust. Meanwhile, onsite at the same zone, Nafsi Health will provide a Mental Health Clinic for check-ups.
Focusing on agritech, Dr Azam Pasha, Co-Founder of Maalexi, will highlight the need to modernise the food supply chain. Another panel discussion focused on agritech’s role in building more resilient food systems will include Edward Hamod, Founder of Switch Foods.
Grants and funding transform pitches into reality, new categories added
As an immensely popular segment of Startup Town, the SEF Pitch Competition x 1Tank will see aspiring entrepreneurs present their startups, receive valuable feedback, and win prizes up to AED 275,000.
The competition also offers additional investor funding opportunities The support through SEF Pitch Competition x 1Tank enables innovators to scale their startups, contributing to economic advancement and national development.
Under the theme, Where We Belong, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 will be held on January 31 and February 1 at the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SPARK). More than 14,000 attendees are expected at the latest edition, which will host over 300 world-renowned changemakers and thought leaders. Further information and tickets are available on https://sharjahef.com.
