Sharjah SPARK strengthens China business and innovation links

The visit included a series of high-level meetings and active participation in major international conferences.

Education advances the knowledge economy

As part of the tour, the delegation took part in the IASP Annual Meetings, where Al Mahmoudi shared strategic insights on global trends in science and technology parks, emphasising the role of education in advancing the knowledge economy and underlining the importance of balancing specialisation with flexibility in innovation ecosystems. He pointed out that the West Asia and North Africa region was undergoing a rapid transformation to become a major contributor to the global knowledge economy.

Connecting companies with international markets

 The delegation also participated in the World Technology Innovation Conference (WTIC 2025) in Shanghai, where Al Mahmoudi showcased SPARK as a regional model that combines advanced infrastructure with an attractive investment environment. He highlighted the Park’s pioneering “soft-landing programmes” designed to support startups seeking to enter regional markets and expand globally. His interactions triggered strong engagement from participants, particularly for the perspective of building integrated innovation ecosystems that connect companies with international markets, especially China.

The delegation also included Salem Al Shaami, Director of Government Relations at SPARK, who joined Al Mahmoudi in holding a series of productive meetings with Chinese research institutions, universities, and investment companies, aimed at strengthening collaboration and exploring new opportunities for Emirati companies in the Chinese market.

Investopia

 A key highlight of the tour was SPARK’s active participation in Investopia Beijing, organised in the Chinese capital as part of Investopia’s Global Dialogues. Recognised as one of the world’s leading platforms for advancing investment in the new economy, Investopia Beijing featured highly interactive sessions on the future of technology and its role in shaping the global economy.

Al Mahmoudi participated in a session on investing in the knowledge economy and future technologies, where he discussed ways to enable startups to scale through international partnerships. He underlined the need to build flexible ecosystems that foster innovation and accelerate the transition of ideas from laboratories to markets. He also took part in another session on balancing specialisation and flexibility in innovation ecosystems, highlighting SPARK Park’s experience in combining advanced research infrastructure with a business-friendly environment to attract global investments.

Sharjah, regional hub for innovation

Al Mahmoudi commented: “Our participation in this global platform reflects Sharjah’s growing role as a regional and international hub for innovation. At SPARK, we are focused on building strategic bridges between East and West through soft-landing programmes that help startups expand into new markets, while also developing joint research centers with leading global institutions. This engagement underscores our commitment to translating the UAE’s vision for supporting entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, and highlights China as a key partner in the journey toward a knowledge- and innovation-driven economy.”

Through this high-profile international engagement, Spark reaffirms its position as a key player in driving innovation and entrepreneurship at both regional and global levels, while reinforcing its commitment to supporting the UAE’s vision of building a diversified and sustainable knowledge economy.