UAE’s largest business setup consultancy Creative Zone is launching their maiden incubator or accelerator program StartupX in collaboration with Sharjah Media City (Shams).
Every year, this program will invest in four of the UAE’s most promising startups or business ideas having a vision of making a difference to the wider community.
According to the statement, these startups will be allowed to expand their reach through Creative Zone’s support services and partner networks enabling them access to business trade licenses, office spaces, legal advice, media and marketing services, funding options, tax and accounting consultation, and more.
StartupX is spread over three stages, beginning with a one-minute pitch video summarising the business concept and the entrepreneur behind it. Ten submissions will be chosen based on feasibility, pitch delivery, financial viability, scalability, and sustainability.
Selected entrepreneurs will be invited for a formal StartupX Demo Day event, where the finalists will compete for the $27,224 (Dh100,000) worth of business support services by presenting their businesses to a panel of experts featuring several prominent business leaders from across the UAE.
Shihab Alhammadi MD – Shams
“Sharjah Media City has a mission to develop the entrepreneurship landscape and support promising startups in the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE as a whole. We strive to establish a robust network of investment opportunities and infrastructure, to offer full support to new companies and ventures, develop all sectors, and build thriving industries rooted in advanced technology. With that in mind, we are excited to be launching this initiative in collaboration with Creative Zone to scout innovative and promising ideas and play a part in turning them into concrete projects. We believe this is only the beginning and look forward to launching many more initiatives in the future.”
Furthermore, StartupX will feature a series of comprehensive mentorship and coaching sessions delivered by our committed partner coaches as well as the supporting entities such as Microsoft, Etisalat, Pipeline, DHL, Creative971, Telr, Eureka, Insurance Market, among many others. The winners will receive a year’s free trade license offered by Sharjah Media City, a year-long mentoring program along with other exciting offers.
“This initiative reinforces the resilience of the regions’ entrepreneurial spirit and provides a platform for all to gain advice, mentorship, and learn as they proceed from one stage to the next. We have already seen an interest with the soft launch in early Feb and look forward to seeing some future business leaders by the close of the program,” commented Mr. Lorenzo Jooris, CEO at Creative Zone.
