Sharjah gathers women entrepreneurs to turn ideas into ventures

Sharjah's Economic Development Department (SEDD) convened a forum on 26 October under the banner "Sharjah's Female Entrepreneurs: From Ambition to Investment," pulling regulators, support foundations and first-time founders into a single venue. The department positioned the event as part of its stated drive to strengthen women's role in the emirate's economy and spread an entrepreneurship culture. Notably absent from the announcement: any figures on attendance, funding pledged or licenses issued — the yardsticks by which such forums are usually judged.

Who attended and what they offered

Four institutions joined SEDD at the event:

• Sharjah Foundation for Supporting Entrepreneurial Projects (RUWAD), the emirate's entrepreneur-support body
• Sharjah City Municipality, the licensing authority for locally regulated trades
• Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC)
• Nama Women Advancement Establishment

According to the WAM report, each body showcased its services and the openings available to women-led ventures. The gap between showcasing services and measuring how many women actually use them remains unaddressed in the source material.

What did the officials say?

Khalid Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Director of the Commercial and Industrial Development Department at SEDD, said the department is committed to "enhancing women's participation in the national economic ecosystem." He stressed the need for a supportive environment that lets female entrepreneurs turn ambitious ideas into "successful, sustainable ventures," framing this as central to diversifying the economy and raising its competitiveness.

Al Suwaidi also described the forum as a platform for exchanging expertise, surfacing available opportunities and services, and discussing the challenges confronting women-led businesses — challenges the announcement does not name specifically. His broader claim: such platforms help create conditions for growth and expansion while strengthening women's contribution to Sharjah's economic development. Whether a one-day event can deliver that is a question the department leaves to future results.

What was on the program?

Maryam Al Suwaidi, Director of the Registration and Licensing Department, delivered the opening speech on the department's behalf, underlining entrepreneurship's importance and women's growing role in the sector. RUWAD followed with a presentation on its services, membership options and registration procedures, plus an overview of key activities and statistics on its female members — figures the announcement references but does not disclose.

Sharjah City Municipality then laid out the requirements, fees and fines attached to business activities that require municipal approval, such as salons and food-related enterprises. For would-be founders, that session was likely the most concrete of the day: it mapped the actual cost and compliance path for two of the most common women-led trades.

Success stories and one-on-one advice

Two female entrepreneurs from Sharjah presented their experiences. Participants also got room to pitch their own ideas, name the obstacles they face and put proposals directly to the institutions present — a format SEDD says builds direct dialogue and helps identify what women-led ventures actually need.

RUWAD ran a dedicated space for free, one-on-one consultations, according to the report, while SBWC and Nama's support mechanisms were highlighted for attendees. The program closed with bilateral sessions designed to let participants exchange expertise and explore collaborations and business partnerships.

Why it matters

The forum's stated goals — sharper entrepreneurial thinking, better decision-making skills and ties between aspiring founders and those with proven track records — are process objectives, not outcomes. SEDD has committed to repeat engagement only implicitly, through its "ongoing efforts" language; the test will be whether the promised dialogue produces measurable growth in women-licensed businesses in Sharjah.