Sheraa’s Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC) is part of Sheraa’s mission to attract, welcome and support entrepreneurial projects in Sharjah. During this year’s Access Sharjah Challenge Al Mamsha, held in partnership with Alef Group, selection process Sheraa scouted the most creative and sustainable startups in the retail and food and beverage sectors and announced the premium linen brand, Nature Hedonist as the overall winners earlier this year.

The ASC is an annual program that Sheraa runs to source, support, and connect innovative startups with government entities and corporate partners in Sharjah, to stimulate innovation in the emirate and to build a better future for various industries within the market. This competition challenge aims to empower sustainable, progressive, and creative businesses and give them a head start in the journey to success.

Nature Hedonist is a textile business and a platform for creative collaborations that encourage sustainable designs for everyday life. As winners of the ASC, they obtained a trade licence in Sharjah and were able to open their first stand-alone store in Zero6 Mall recently. This flagship store in Sharjah was inaugurated by the CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), Najla Al Midfa, as well as the CEO of Alef Group, Issa Ataya.

This journey of entrepreneurship has come full circle as Nature Hedonist is a Sheraa alumnus, and by winning the Access Sharjah Challenge organised by Sheraa in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth, they have once again proved to be a competitive force in the market. As the retail winner, Nature Hedonist signed a two-year lease agreement with Alef group; a premiere property developer in Sharjah; obtained their trade licence to operate in the emirate, and received business setup support from Sheraa, to give them the best chance of creating a strong impact in the market.

Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, said, “The Access Sharjah Challenge addresses one of the most critical and perennial challenges that startups face worldwide: gaining access to the market. Through this initiative, we provide guidance, support and opportunities as well as opening the door for startups to be able to connect with the right corporate and government partners and successfully operate in our thriving emirate. ”

Al Midfa also stated that the goal of the Access Sharjah Challenge is to create an environment where entrepreneurs can directly connect with potential clients, easing the challenge of scaling their business. She added that the initiative is an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas and receive valuable feedback from an experienced panel of experts.