Sheraa hackathon spurs creativity in sustainability 

The event, organised by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technology Fund (ICT Fund) and powered by BEEAH Education, aimed to address sustainability in line with the UAE's Year of Sustainability and the upcoming COP 28 summit.

The hackathon focused on developing sustainable solutions for food waste, with BEEAH Education as the challenge partner, inspiring young entrepreneurs to think creatively and contribute to a more sustainable world. From the initial 10 finalist groups, four teams were chosen to advance in the competition, receiving expert guidance, mentorship, and the opportunity to present their prototypes to industry leaders.

The intensive weekend bootcamp aimed to instill design thinking principles in Emirati youth, enabling them to tackle complex challenges and generate innovative solutions through experimentation and validation.

Sheraa pledged ongoing support to the hackathon winners, including access to mentorship, validation bootcamps, summer incubation programmes, and community-building initiatives, all geared towards helping them bring their solutions to fruition and launch successful ventures.

Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, emphasised the importance of sustainability and the role of youth in driving meaningful change. She highlighted the value of initiatives like the Sustainability Hackathon in empowering young minds and ensuring their voices are heard in the nation's sustainability agenda.

Omar Al Mahmoud, CEO of ICTFund, commended the support for innovation-based projects, particularly in sustainability, which aligns with the UAE's focus on a sustainable future. The Sustainability Hackathon represents a national effort to embrace technological advancements and digital transformation, with the TDRA playing a leading role in this regard.

Hind Al Huwaidi, Managing Director of BEEAH Education, expressed admiration for the young entrepreneurs' commitment to making a positive impact in sustainability. She praised Sheraa's efforts in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, noting that events like the Sustainability Hackathon contribute to shaping a modern economy driven by circularity, sustainability, and innovation.