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In addition to enabling on-site business setup, SEF26 will bring together 35 internationally acclaimed brands and local vendors, alongside a vibrant live performance line-up featuring leading creative voices, including Bin Swelah, one of the UAE’s most recognisable comedians, and DJ Michelle, the UAE’s first DMC Middle East Scratch Champion.
The Business Kickstarter Package – Business Trade Licence, starting from AED 1,000, along with special connectivity and banking offers, will be available exclusively during the two days of SEF 2026 to the first 100 eligible startups. The initiative is designed for early-stage founders who are ready to move from idea to a formal business setup within the Festival itself.
To qualify, applicants must be tech start-ups operating in one of six sectors: Sustainability, Creative Industries, EdTech, Advanced Manufacturing, HealthTech, or Mobility.
The Business Kickstarter Package is a collaboration between Sheraa, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), Emirates NBD and du Business, and will be delivered through Startup Town, where founders can take practical steps towards launching their companies while engaging with investors and ecosystem partners. Alongside the licensing pathway, founders visiting the Investor Lounge will have the opportunity to meet with Carta, a global equity management and ownership platform, through pre-booked one-to-one sessions. These brief Founder Equity Health Checks will help startups review early equity considerations, including cap table structure and readiness for future growth.
Alongside its focus on business formation, SEF 2026 will continue to highlight entrepreneurship beyond conventional start-up models through a curated F&B programme that showcases founder-led food concepts.
The programme will feature Festival-exclusive menu items, product launches, and founder-led collaborations, alongside workshops led by chefs and entrepreneurs. Participating vendors will include Cocolily × Frio, launching two new flavours at the Festival. Alongside a diverse mix of restaurants, cafés, and dessert concepts, the restaurant line-up will include Salt, Mr. Brisket, The Cut, Caml, and Flat Burger, alongside other popular names. Café concepts such as Hoof, Benchmark, Honoré, Break by Mara, Fynd, and Innerchild will bring together specialty coffee, casual dining, and contemporary café culture.
Dessert-led ventures will add another layer to the experience, with Amoodi’s Creamery and House of Pops offering ice-cream concepts, while Omar Odali will present Palestinian kunafa rooted in regional culinary heritage.
Complementing the Festival’s business and entrepreneurship content, SEF 2026 will feature a live performance programme running across both days. The line-up will include comedy, music, and creative performances, contributing to shared cultural moments within the Festival environment.
Featured performers will include Bin Swelah, one of the UAE’s most recognisable comedy voices; 13-year-old DJ Michelle, the UAE’s first DMC Middle East Scratch Champion; live bands from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Music Club; Talal Mahmoud, a Sharjah-based filmmaker, actor, playwright, and stand-up comedian; and other performers.
Held under the theme “Where We Belong,” the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival will run from January 31 to February 1, 2026, at Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK).
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