Sharjah: Startups worldwide with the best ideas for growing food with less water and keeping animals healthy can win a Sharjah prize purse of Dh500,000. Selected start-ups will also receive support to turn their ideas into reality.
The opportunity is being extended by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa), through the sixth edition of Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC). The competition has two tracks: AgriTech and Live Health.
Applicants must apply on the Sheraa website: https://www.startups.sheraa.ae, before September 5, 2024.
Solutions should be practical, implementable
The Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment have collaborated with Sheraa to design the 2024 edition of ASC.
To be shortlisted, applicants must present practical, implementable solutions and a ready-to-use model and commit to establishing their company. The top 10 shortlisted ideas will undergo intensive training to refine their concepts into viable projects.
ASC 2024 aims to support start-ups during their growth phase, offering solutions for long-term economic and environmental sustainability. Additionally, entrepreneurs will receive mentorship.
The prize purse of Dh500,000 will be split evenly among the winners of the two tracks.
Food security
Sara Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, highlighted ASC 2024’s role in providing start-ups and entrepreneurs worldwide with a platform to showcase their solutions.
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“This year’s challenge demonstrates Sheraa’s commitment to establishing Sharjah as a leading regional and global hub in AgriTech and livestock health. By leveraging modern technology, we aim to enhance agricultural production, achieve self-sufficiency, and address water scarcity resulting from climate change and population growth. This advances sustainable development on economic, social, and environmental fronts.”
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Dr Khalifa Musabah Al Tunaiji, chairman of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Sharjah, said ASC aims to provide sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by the agricultural and livestock sector.
He used the development of the ‘Sharjah-1’ wheat strain to underscore the emirate’s leaps in sustainable farming. The wheat type, developed through research at the Mleiha Farm’s biotechnology laboratories, is more climate-resilient, water-efficient, highly productive, and nutritionally rich.
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