In the presence of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Center for Entrepreneurship, the activities of the sixth session of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival kicked off today, at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, under the slogan “Where We Belong”, with the participation of more than 150 speakers from entrepreneurs and change makers. Youth, elite artists, academics, influencers and international experts in the business sector, and witness more than 50 inspiring discussion sessions that shed light on the most innovative ideas in entrepreneurship, and open opportunities for participants to invest with their aspirations and build global competitive companies, in an incubating and supportive environment for their aspirations and efforts.
From huge factories to a factory in every home
In turn, Dr. Robert Woolcott, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of “TWIN Global Adjunct”, and Assistant Professor of Innovation at the University of Chicago, spoke about envisioning the future in the way we think, saying: “Working to improve reality is good, but the best thing is to think about innovation.” The future, which depends mainly on our understanding of the challenges that may face us.
Robert pointed out that the world will move in the coming years towards reducing the facilities on which the various economic sectors are based, in a way that ensures reducing effort and increasing the factors of product quality and environmental sustainability.
Robert said: “Reducing the time to meet customer requests will be the main feature of technology in the business sector, and this will happen by abandoning huge factories, and replacing them with medium-sized factories closer to population areas, and the most revolutionary development in that will be 3D printers in our homes, Thus, we have reduced the size of the factories, so that each person has his own mini-factory to design his product according to his desire.
Robert pointed out that this development will turn business models upside down, and make these businesses conducive to sustainability and environmentally friendly because they will be less polluting than those factories that increase carbon emissions and their impact on climate change, explaining that this business model can be viewed closely and clearly with reflection. Solar panel technologies that are placed on the roofs of homes and factories, as they are more like an alternative to the giant power plants that have been prevalent for many years.
“Infinity and Beyond”… a discussion session
The first day of the festival featured a panel discussion entitled “To Infinity and Beyond: The Case for Solar-Powered Vehicles”, during which Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, Khalid Al Huraimel, CEO of Bee’ah Group, and Tom Selton, Vice President, spoke about the festival. Business Development at “Lightyear”, and interviewed by Dr. Robert Woolcott.
Regarding Sharjah’s leadership in the production and manufacturing of environmentally friendly cars, the participants in the session unanimously agreed that the emirate is one of the most suitable regions for investment in manufacturing in the world due to its strategic location and proximity to various world markets, pointing out that these advantages provided a favorable environment for investors in this sector in Sharjah.
Leadership presence
His Excellency Hussein Al Mahmoudi stressed that the government support given by the Sharjah government to innovative industries and the promotion of the presence of environmentally friendly cars represents a great incentive for the industry, which contributes to the emirate’s achievement of a pioneering presence in this sector, and through which the achievements of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park stand out, starting with the electric trains that The researchers in the complex are working on developing them, which are trains with a speed of up to 200 km per hour, and even electric cars.
In turn, Khaled Al Huraimel indicated that Sharjah is working on developing plants to convert waste into hydrogen, as it benefits from it to supply cars with energy, through a circular loop and environmentally friendly operations, pointing out that this effort represents the fruits of innovative thinking led by creative entrepreneurs.
For his part, Tom Selton said: “One of the most important developments that electric cars need is the creation of less expensive ways to charge them with energy, especially in light of the significant increase in battery prices globally. ».
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi honored the partners of the sixth session of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, which included: Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, Arada Real Estate Development Group, Sharjah Sustainable City, Sharjah Media City (Shams), Sharjah Business Women Council, and the Development Authority. Commerce and Tourism in Sharjah, Emirates Development Bank, Crescent for Innovative Emerging Projects, Sharjah Direct Investment Office (Invest in Sharjah), Green House Company of the Chalhoub Group, Sharjah Foundation for Supporting Entrepreneurial Projects (Ruwad), Sharjah Foundation for Supporting Entrepreneurial Projects, and the National Communication Network .
Interactive experience
Festival visitors have the opportunity to attend more than 30 workshops that allow them to communicate with the best international practices, and introduce them to the secrets of successful investment, in addition to enriching them with a bouquet of inspiring discussions and dialogues in which all entrepreneurs and innovators engage.
