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The foundation's membership was also expanded by 135 new projects, 108 projects renewed their membership for the second and third years, and 52 projects were extended for the fourth and fifth years. Meanwhile, 30 projects successfully secured contracts with government entities, totaling AED 1,573,000. 461 male and female entrepreneurs benefited from 21 training programs and introductory workshops held from July to the end of September of this year.
In this context, His Excellency Hamad Ali Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Chairman of SEDD, stated that the entrepreneurial environment in the Emirate of Sharjah is witnessing positive growth and increasing diversity, reflecting the keenness of Emirati youth of both genders to capitalise on the opportunities and capabilities provided by the emirate's economic system for male and female entrepreneurs. He expressed his happiness with the efforts and contributions of the Ruwad Foundation in this regard and its successful endeavour to highlight and develop entrepreneurial talents who believe in efficiency, creativity, and productivity, and who are capable of participating in serving their community and striving to enhance the competitiveness of the national projects they establish and manage.
Al Mahmoud pointed out that the activities, events, and initiatives implemented by the Foundation contribute to the ability of national projects to expand and create quality job opportunities that support the local economy and keep pace with the requirements of sustainable development. This is achieved by leveraging the integrated policies and economic incentives provided by the emirate to facilitate the establishment of projects in various sectors and support their continuity.
For her part, Fatima Al Ali, Acting Director of Ruwad, confirmed that the foundation continues its thoughtful institutional work to develop its financing, advisory, and training services and programmes, in line with the directives of the wise leadership to enhance the role of youth in shaping the future of the national economy and transform entrepreneurial ideas into success stories that contribute to consolidating Sharjah's position as a leading centre for small and medium enterprises in the country and the region.
Al Ali added: "We are witnessing tangible growth in the results of all services provided by the Foundation, in addition to the expansion of projects and their success in gaining the trust of government agencies through the increase in the number and value of contracts under the government procurement system."
Regarding the details of the third-quarter results, Fatima Al Ali explained that the new projects that joined the Foundation's membership were distributed as follows: 67 projects in the commercial sector, representing 50% of the total of these new memberships, 66 projects in the professional sector (49%), and two projects in the industrial sector (1%).
Al Ali continued by saying that male entrepreneurs accounted for 86 projects, representing 64%." Of the total memberships, 47 were female entrepreneurs, representing 35%, while only two joint projects (1%) joined the Foundation's membership.
She noted that the total number of new projects joining the membership network since the beginning of the current year has risen to 372, while the total number of projects whose memberships were renewed for the second and third years reached 293 projects, exempting them from all government fees. The number of projects whose memberships were extended for the fourth and fifth years increased to 143 projects, exempting them from half of the government fees in the emirate.
Al Ali added that the cumulative total of funded projects, the number reached 16 projects, with a total financing value of AED 3,860,000. Fourteen projects benefited from the direct financing system, while two projects were funded through the indirect financing system through Sharjah Islamic Bank. The Project Financing Committee held two meetings during the third quarter to discuss and review the submitted funding applications and take appropriate decisions regarding them. During the third quarter, the Foundation also provided 45 project advisory services, bringing the total number of such consultations to 114 since the beginning of the current year. 152 interviews were conducted with project owners, bringing the total to 434 interviews over the past nine months. The Foundation also conducted 97 visits to member projects, bringing the total to 231 by the end of last September. The Project Classification and Evaluation Programme conducted 20 visits, bringing the total to 47 since the beginning of 2025.
For her part, Amina Mohammed, Director of the Training, Research, and Events Department, said that the Foundation continued its efforts in training and qualification programmes. During the third quarter, it held 21 introductory programmes and workshops, benefiting 461 male and female entrepreneurs, with a total of 105 training hours. This brings the total number of these programmes and workshops since the beginning of the current year to 45 training and professional programmes, benefiting 1,121 male and female entrepreneurs over 292 training hours.
She noted that the themes and areas of the training programmes offered during the third quarter were divided into foundation programs. Small projects and small business management and development programmes, in addition to introductory workshops on the Foundation's services and workshops aimed at developing knowledge and awareness of regulations. Specialised programmes in the fields of finance, accounting, and taxation are also offered, along with general programmes to develop entrepreneurial and administrative skills for business owners, mini-master's programmes, and specialised diplomas.
Regarding the results of the Government Procurement Programme, Amina Mohammed pointed to the success of 30 projects in winning contracts with government agencies, with a total ofAED 1,573,000, with 35 local government entities contracting with the projects. This brings the total value of government procurement from the beginning of this year until the end of September to approximately AED 5 million.
In a related context, the total number of projects registered on the Central Finance Department's supplier portal increased to 150, while 50 projects were nominated to participate in events and exhibitions, both domestically and internationally.
In the media field, the Foundation continued its awareness and marketing efforts to support member projects through the issuance of electronic newsletters, daily news monitoring series, and a strong presence through newsletters and posts on social media accounts, in addition to other marketing materials.
During the third quarter, the Foundation also participated in numerous internal and external events and exhibitions. Most notable was its successful participation in the national campaign "The UAE: The Entrepreneur Capital of the World," launched last September by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The campaign was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, a number of strategic partners, government and private entities, and national institutions. Furthermore, Ruwad participated in the "Your Dream Connects" dialogue session, organised by the Department of Economic Development on the occasion of World Entrepreneurship Day, with the aim of highlighting inspiring success stories of Ruwad members. It also participated in a similar discussion session on empowering UAE small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in cooperation with the Abdullah Al Ghurair Foundation, as part of the "Al Ghurair Connect" initiative. The session aimed to exchange ideas on enhancing the skills of entrepreneurs and exploring ways to support them. It also participated in the "Sharjah: The Pulse of Entrepreneurship and Innovation" symposium. The Foundation also organised the 12th mini-version of the Business Stars Initiative (Summer Edition) in cooperation with the Sharjah Academy for Police Sciences, with the participation of 10 student projects. A networking session was also held among the members to strengthen mutual relations, open communication channels, and create business opportunities between them.
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