Over the past decade, it has evolved into one of the Middle East’s most influential entrepreneurial platforms and a catalyst for entrepreneurial dialogue, investment, and cross-sector collaboration. Organised by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), the upcoming edition will bring together global founders, investors, policymakers, creatives, and industry leaders to explore ideas, industries, and collaborations shaping the future economy.

Since its launch in 2016, SEF has become a unified platform that enables strategic collaborations, including public-private partnerships, through an ecosystem designed to help startups gain market access. SEF convenes government leaders, CEOs, founders, and mentors to create opportunities and build relationships that extend beyond the festival itself.

Over the years, SEF has hosted globally recognised figures across business, sport, technology, and personal development, including Emaar and Noon.com founder Mohamed Alabbar, Richard Branson, four-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel, UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, bestselling author Lewis Howes, and Vishen Lakhiani, underscoring SEF’s growing global relevance and its ability to convene voices shaping the future of business, technology, creativity, and human potential.

Commenting on the milestone, Her Excellency Najla Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa, said, “The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival’s tenth anniversary is not only a celebration of how far SEF has come. It reflects Sharjah’s belief in what entrepreneurship can do for a city and for the people who choose to build from here.”

When SEF first began, our ambition was to create a space where founders could find inspiration, connection, and the support to take their next step. Nine years later, that space has grown into one of the region’s most meaningful gatherings for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We have welcomed more than 60,000 changemakers and hosted over 1,400 global and regional speakers. But the numbers only tell part of the story.

The real story lies in the founders who found their first community here, in the partnerships that began with a conversation, and in the youth who left believing that building something of their own was possible. It is the story of Sharjah itself: an emirate that has always invested in people, culture, and knowledge as the foundations of lasting progress.

She added: “As we mark this decade-long journey, we are not only celebrating SEF as a festival. We are celebrating the ecosystem that Sharjah has built around it, which gives entrepreneurs the confidence to build for the long term.”

The next chapter of SEF will be guided by the same belief that shaped its beginning: that the most meaningful gatherings are not defined by what happens over two days, but by what they make possible long after.

The festival’s remarkable expansion mirrors the defining role of entrepreneurship in the region's broader economic transformation. Across nine editions, SEF has showcased more than 500 startups and partnered with over 100 strategic organisations. The festival has also hosted more than 450 activities and sessions and collaborated with over 195 retail and F&B partners, creating a high-impact environment for founders, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to connect, exchange ideas, and scale their ventures.

SEF 2027 will continue to address emerging global challenges and opportunities shaping the future economy, with discussions and experiences exploring innovation, technology, investment, sustainability, creative industries, and the evolving role of entrepreneurship in driving inclusive and long-term economic growth.

Her Excellency Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: “Over the past decade, Sheraa has worked to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports founders at every stage of their journey and creates meaningful opportunities for growth. As one of Sheraa’s flagship platforms, SEF has evolved from a local entrepreneurship gathering into a globally recognised platform that brings together founders, investors, creatives, policymakers, and industry leaders to exchange ideas and shape new opportunities for innovation.”

“The scale of SEF’s growth since its inaugural edition reflects the strength of the entrepreneurial community in the UAE and the wider region, as well as the growing importance of spaces that enable ecosystem-building. SEF 2027 will build on that momentum by exploring the opportunities that will shape the next decade of entrepreneurship and future industries.”

Building on the strong foundation of previous editions and strategic partnerships, SEF 2027 promises to deliver another transformative experience centred on connection, knowledge-sharing, and collective progress.