UAE-based Sheraa (Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center) said it has joined hands with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development to bring the international competition Pitch@Palace to the UAE to support a growing talent pool of young innovators who are trying to make their mark in the UAE’s vibrant entrepreneurship scene.

Established by The Duke of York, Pitch@Palace aims to help entrepreneurs build access and connectivity around the world and has helped over 350 businesses grow, with some now enjoying huge global success in less than three years.

The competition was divided into two stages with the first one ‘On Tour Abu Dhabi’ taking place on September 10 at Khalifa University and the second - On Tour Sharjah - in Sheraa on September 14. The final pitch will be held on October 4 at Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, said a statement from the Sharjah firm.

Sheraa was launched in January last year to provide a launch pad for aspiring young entrepreneurs in the UAE.

The On Tour Sharjah stage resulted in four shortlisted startups out of over 20 pitches. The startups set to pitch in the final stage include Tawseel, a restaurant delivery solution app; Baqa, an online platform for flower arrangement vendors; Drones, a hardware and software solution for automated site visits; and Brailleye, technology that automatically turns any text into Braille.

"Our collaboration with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development in order to bring the acclaimed competition to the UAE is a major step forward for Sharjah entrepreneurs who will now have access to a global platform to build access and connectivity around the world,” explained Najla Al Midfa, the general manager at Sheraa.

“At Sheraa, we always look for opportunities to use such strategic partnerships to grow the UAE’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and help local entrepreneurs, while supporting Sharjah’s status as a thriving hub for entrepreneurship,” noted Al Midfa.

The aim of the Pitch@Palace UAE tours in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is to introduce Emirati entrepreneurs to the programme, connect them to local stakeholders and receive mentoring to develop their businesses, she stated.

There will also be a bootcamp which will train shortlisted entrepreneurs for the final event in Abu Dhabi, she added.-TradeArabia News Service