With US$50,000 Up For Grabs, The 2023 Edition Of Sharjah Innovation Park's Accelerator Program Is Now Open For Applications The ten-week accelerator program will then provide selected participants with access to funding opportunities, networking, regional experts and resources, as well as an ecosystem that fosters innovation.
By Entrepreneur Middle East Staff Edited by Tamara Pupic
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Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator (SAIA), the startup accelerator program hosted by Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), will be accepting applications (here) for its fourth edition until May 23, 2023.
While SAIA 2023 will be held under four key themes -advanced technologies and digitalization, sustainable mobility, energy tech, and clean tech, green tech, and agritech- startups from all industries are encouraged to apply.
Selection of participating startups will take place from May 24, 2023, to June 24, 2023, with the announcement of the finalists set to take place on June 26, 2023.
The ten-week accelerator program will then provide selected participants with access to funding opportunities, networking, regional experts and resources, as well as an ecosystem that fosters innovation.
The chosen startups will go through a series of courses and workshops between September and November, and the Investors and Demo Day will be held in November 2023 offering a grand prize of US$50,000 for the winning startups.
SAIA has also aimed to align its values with Operation 300bn, a strategy by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) that aims to increase the manufacturing sector's contribution in the national economy to AED300 billion by 2031.
Another future-oriented UAE government policy that the SAIA curriculum has been inspired by is the UAE Policy for Advanced Industries, launched by the Ministry of Energy and Industry, which aims to develop futuristic, advanced technologies and clean and sustainable industries in the country.
SAIA 2023 will also look to build off of the Industrialist Program -launched by the MoIAT, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis) in March 2023- that aims to increase Emiratisation in the industrial sector.
"SAIA is a game-changing initiative designed to empower local, regional, and global startups, granting them unparalleled access to the advanced industry landscape across the UAE and beyond," said Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTIP. "By aligning with the UAE Policy for Advanced Industries, SAIA aims to accelerate the nation's transformation into a global hub for future industries, providing startups with the resources and opportunities needed to pilot and scale their solutions, and drive innovation towards a sustainable, prosperous future."
In the 2022 edition of SAIA, 1,650 entries from 45 countries were recorded. The winner of last year's cohort was Rebooz Technology, a company that has developed a patent-granted hydrogen technology to rejuvenate combustion engines and reduce emissions.
For more information about applying for SAIA 2023, click here.
