UAE: Emirates’ cultural capital will host the Startup Pitch competition for visionary entrepreneurs from across the country and beyond. The largest gathering of entrepreneurs, changemakers, and innovators in the Middle East, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025 will be extra special for entrepreneurs and startups worldwide, as this flagship event has announced the organizing of the SEF x 1Tank Startup Pitch Competition.
This competition will allow participants to compete for striking investment funding and grants amounting to AED 500,000 and AED 200,000, respectively. Interested applicants must apply for this competition by submitting their introduction videos, company profiles, and pitch desks by January 26. The selected candidates will present their innovative ideas to a panel of reputed investors.
Four Key Tracks of SEF X 1Tank Startup
The greatest entrepreneur gathering of the Middle East, SEF 2025, is being organized this year by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) in collaboration with 1Tank, an initiative run by the community organization 1entrepreneur. This year’s event will feature a Startup Pitch competition, concentrating on four key tracks, including Sustainability, EdTech, Creative Industries, and Tech and Industry 4.0, organizers of the event announced on January 03.
After reviewing the applicants’ video, 16 top visionary entrepreneurs, four innovative startups per track, will be shortlisted. The shortlisted applicants will compete for prize money of AED 700,000, divided into AED 200,000 and AED 500,000 for grants and funding, respectively. Additionally, the winners will be rewarded with free flights with Air Arabia. The venue for the 2025 SEF will be Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), which will host this stellar event from February 1 to 2. 4 selected applicants from each sector will present a three-minute pitch of their business or startup ideas to a panel of prestigious leaders and innovative leaders, which will be followed by a Q&A session.
Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025: An Unmissable Event
The 2-day collaboration and gathering of influential speakers, innovative leaders, and visionary entrepreneurs is a must-attend event for those who wish to transform their vision of owning and empowering their business or startup in 2025. Apart from the Startup Competition, this unmissable event will feature keynote speeches, interactive workshops, 10 curated zones, and 5 stages, and the opportunity to meet, hear, and interact with over 300 speakers worldwide.
Applicants who wish to participate in the SEF x 1 Tank Startup Pitch Competition must submit the requested videos and requirements before January 26 on SEF’s official website. The CEO of Sheraa, Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, said that this competition serves as a testament to our organization’s vision of supporting and empowering visionary entrepreneurs. He added that their vision includes establishing Sharjah’s reputation as a global hub for innovation and enterprise by empowering visionary entrepreneurs with the resources they require to transform their vision and industries, which will result in creating meaningful differences and redefining the future of entrepreneurship.
The co-founder of 1entrepreneur, Jimmy James, added that this competition amplifies our commitment to empowering and supporting visionary entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to transform their aspirations into impactful realities. The SEF’s Startup Competition will be a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to seize great funding, mentorship, and recognition on a global level.
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