In the esteemed presence of His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) showcased its newest cohort in front of leading investors, key opinion leaders and heads of government entities, and announced the winner of the $50,000 Accelerator Program Grant at a Ramadan majlis, earlier this week.

The grant was awarded to Solva Technologies, a tech startup offering an environmentally-friendly solution to fleet owners using fully electric motorbikes modified with proprietary technology.

Following the completion of an accelerator program that helps early stage, high-growth startups scale their business through intensive workshops and mentorship, ten startups shared the stage to introduce their products and services for an aptly titled ‘Showcase Day’ segment of the Ramadan Majlis.

The Majlis was also attended by His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed al Thani and His Excellency Marwan al Serkal.

The teams and individuals pitched their ideas, which hail from retail, charity, media and technology amongst others, enabling them to connect with the right people who will help push their startups forward.

These ten teams were shortlisted by Sheraa after passing through rigorous screenings for innovativeness, commercial viability and potential impact, after which they underwent an intensive 4-month training and mentorship program. The new startups were supported with specialized mentorship, in-depth financial, legal, marketing and product help, office-space and access to customers amongst other benefits during their course.

“Sharjah is fast emerging as a hub of creativity and innovation in the recent years. Programs such as Sheraa’s and events such as ‘Showcase Day’ help catapult these young, fruitful ideas towards success,” commented His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Executive Chairman of the Department of Government Relations. “As someone who is constantly encouraging tech innovation within the emirate, seeing the graduates present their brand is a step towards further innovation and betterment society.”

“To build a sustainable business, you need a tailored support system, made up of industry experts, investors, and fellow entrepreneurs,” says Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa. “This is what Sheraa offers our startups. Our third cohort is a testament to the success of our model. I have been continuously struck by the dedication, talent, and caliber of skill of our startups, and I am so proud to see how far they have come over the course of the Accelerator program. It is also vital that government leaders engage with such entrepreneurs, which is why we are honored to have had His His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi present his keynote on to the role entrepreneurship and innovation will play in Sharjah’s plans for the future.”