The foundation also welcomed 291 new entrepreneurial projects into its membership and trained 409 entrepreneurs through its programmes and workshops, according to its H1 2026 performance report, which tracks progress in supporting Sharjah's entrepreneurship ecosystem.

A new phase of entrepreneurship

Hamad Ali Abdulla Al Mahmoud, Chairman of SEDD, said the UAE's entrepreneurial landscape is undergoing a qualitative shift led by innovation and technology, with a growing share of ventures built around artificial intelligence, advanced technologies, high-value industries and the green economy — positioning national projects to compete in both local and global markets.

He linked this shift to the UAE's broader vision of building a more diversified and sustainable economy by empowering entrepreneurs, improving the business environment, and widening access to financing and markets. RUWAD's H1 results, he added, reflect a deliberate move from simply growing the number of startups to raising the quality and competitiveness of projects – reinforcing Sharjah's position as an active hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Membership growth

Fatima Al Ali, Acting Director of RUWAD, said the foundation's Project Financing Committee held three meetings during the first half of the year to review funding applications from project owners.

Of the 349 projects that applied for membership, the committee accepted 291. Commercial ventures made up 148 of these (50.8%), professional ventures 137 (47.1%), and industrial projects 6 (2.1%). By ownership, 185 new memberships belonged to male entrepreneurs (63.6%), 88 to female entrepreneurs (30.2%), and 18 were mixed-gender projects (6.2%).

Fee exemptions and new licences

Separately, 267 projects had their membership renewed for a second or third year, exempting them from all government fees, while 38 projects had their memberships extended into a fourth or fifth year at half the standard fee. RUWAD issued 254 new accreditation licences during the period and renewed the accreditation of another 440 projects.

Al Ali said RUWAD's teams carried out 169 field visits to member projects, including 36 tied to its project rating and evaluation initiative, alongside 80 specialist consultations. The foundation also handled 7,273 phone calls, held 320 meetings with project owners, and issued 669 support letters to help members secure fee exemptions.

Government procurement

By the end of the first half of 2026, Sharjah's Central Finance Department had registered 199 RUWAD member projects in its supplier register. The total value of government contracts signed with RUWAD member projects under the government procurement programme rose to AED3.338 million, while projects operating under accreditation licences recorded approximately AED336,000 in purchases from government entities.

A further 596 member projects across various sectors received exemptions from local government fees during the first half of the year, under incentives set out in Executive Council Resolution No. 47 of 2025, which regulates RUWAD's membership programme and came into effect at the end of September 2025.

Outreach and training

RUWAD's teams ran 15 promotional tours targeting government entities and shared member project lists with six additional agencies while nominating 19 projects to take part in nine internal and external conferences and exhibitions.

On the training side, the foundation held 18 programmes and workshops covering 122 training hours, benefiting 409 entrepreneurs — 112 men and 297 women — with 397 trainees completing the programmes in full. The fourth edition of RUWAD's "Entrepreneurship Ambassadors" professional diploma programme graduated 12 trainees.

Community presence

RUWAD's community initiatives gained further momentum during the period, with the foundation organising the Mada Festival, the "Dhay Al Laila" event, and its annual Ramadan initiative "Min Khair Ruwadna". Its fourth annual forum honoured top-performing strategic partners, sponsors and supporters, as well as projects that made a notable mark on Sharjah's entrepreneurship scene in 2025.

The foundation also participated in a number of external events, including the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026, the Ramadan Village of the University of Sharjah Alumni Association, the SEDD platform at City Centre Al Zahia, and the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s exhibition “Made in the Emirates.”