Sharjah is set to be the cradle of entrepreneurship in the region as the government seeks to encourage young entrepreneurs to pursue their passion and open businesses.

Speaking at the launch of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre initiative (Sheraa) in Sharjah Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) said there are a lot of opportunities to be found in various sectors across Sharjah and that with the right guidance many young entrepreneurs can achieve their vision of starting and operating an SME.

Developed with the support of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah Sheraa aims to support young people to enter the world of business with the appropriate environment and conditions.

It also aims to establish an efficient environment for incubation of entrepreneurship focusing on innovation creativity and development. The centre will help young graduates to make informed career choices as well as attract innovative entrepreneurs who can start their own enterprises in the emirate.

The centre will operate as an initiative of Shurooq under the chairmanship of Shaikha Bodour and will be headquartered in the American University of Sharjah. It will encourage an entrepreneurial attitude among young people by creating partnerships with universities colleges research centres students alumni and faculty on one hand and the business sector and investors on the other.

'Our long-term vision for Sheraa is to promote the culture of innovation in entrepreneurship among young people by guiding them through the process of ideation implementation development and continuity. We want to motivate the younger generation in the world of business and investment and help them reach new heights in this field. We want to transform Sharjah into an influential entrepreneurial destination where people come to drive their ideas into reality' Shaikha Bodour said.

'I believe that great talent can come from anywhere' said Iba Masood co-founder and CEO of Gradberry.com at the launch event. 'I believe that young entrepreneurs can achieve a lot more today if they can utilise an early adopter system since companies are a lot more receptive of start-ups if an idea is new.'

Fadi Ghandour founder of Aramex and CEO of Wamda Capital also highlighted the role that SMEs play in the economy.

'SMEs are at the core of the economy. People who are actually creating jobs are SMEs. It is entrepreneurs who run businesses that employ less than 10 people and this is where there should be a focus. Over 70 per cent of jobs created in the Arab world today are created by SMEs yet they are not nurtured enough.'

Najla Al Midfa general manager of Sheraa called for entrepreneurs in the region to embrace risk taking. 'Creating a business is a journey and it won't happen overnight. Along every journey there are challenges and risks but these are experiences that help you learn.'

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