KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Second edition of Seal the Deal ran on 23 October at SIF and WAIPA WIC in Sharjah.
  • Nine start-ups pitched; investors pledged over AED 4 million.
  • Organised by SPARK (formerly SRTIP) with Sheraa, Invest in Sharjah, AUS and UoS.
  • Focus widened to student and faculty ventures plus early-stage Sharjah start-ups.
  • Senior UAE business leaders attended, from Kanoo Group to American Hospital Dubai.

Sharjah’s flagship pitch day, Seal the Deal, returned during the Sharjah Investment Forum and the WAIPA World Investment Conference. In a single afternoon, nine early-stage ventures faced investors in rapid five-minute rounds. The result: more than AED 4 million in investment commitments and a clear signal that Sharjah wants academic ideas to become funded businesses.

What is Seal the Deal?

The programme is a pitch initiative that connects founders with investors and business leaders, with a brief, high-pressure format built for deal flow. This year’s edition took place on 23 October at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, alongside SIF and WAIPA WIC.

  • Flagship pitch event focused on entrepreneurship and investment
  • Held during SIF and WAIPA WIC at Al Jawaher
  • Five-minute pitches plus Q&A per start-up

Seal the Deal is designed to compress introductions, feedback and early interest into one room. That structure lowers barriers for first-time founders and helps investors scan more ideas in less time.

Who’s behind it in 2025?

The organisers list reads like a map of Sharjah’s innovation scene. SPARK, the rebranded Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, led delivery with support from Sheraa, Invest in Sharjah, the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah.

  • SPARK (formerly SRTIP) as lead organiser
  • Partners: Sheraa, Invest in Sharjah, AUS, UoS
  • Programme inspired by the vision of HH Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi

The collaboration is the point. It ties university research to investors and the private sector, and it has clear top-level backing through HH Sheikha Bodour, Chairperson of SPARK.

What changed this year?

The scope widened. Beyond classic early-stage teams, the 2025 edition brought in student-led and faculty-led ventures, plus start-ups already building in Sharjah.

  • Student start-ups on stage
  • Faculty ventures included
  • Early-stage Sharjah companies welcomed

This shift matters for pipeline. It lets ideas move from classroom or lab to the market with less friction, and it puts young founders in the same room as capital sooner.

The room: founders, investors and numbers

Nine start-ups pitched. Each had five minutes, then a short Q&A. Across the day, investors pledged over AED 4 million.

  • 9 pitches, 5 minutes each, live Q&A
  • AED 4m+ in investment commitments
  • “Shark Tank” style delivery for direct feedback

The investor bench included Abdallah Abu Sheikh, Mishal Kanoo, Mohamed Al Hashemi, Mohamed Khadiri and Sherif Beshara, representing sectors from retail and banking to healthcare. The fast format made it easier to give pointed feedback and signal interest on the spot.

The quotes that set the tone

Speakers underlined the “academia + investors + private sector” model that Sharjah is leaning into.

  • Hussain Al Mahmoudi (SPARK): the platform turns research and innovation into sustainable businesses.
  • Sara Al Nuaimi (Sheraa): building a pipeline that links ambition to mentorship, networks and capital.
  • H.E. Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh (Invest in Sharjah): bridging knowledge and capital within a single ecosystem to drive high-impact investment.

Taken together, the message is plain: Sharjah’s playbook is collaboration, with universities as feeders and investors embedded from day one.

Why it matters for the UAE

Seal the Deal is not just another demo day. It sits inside a larger calendar of investment activity in Sharjah, with SIF drawing senior decision-makers and the WAIPA World Investment Conference in the same venue and week. That concentration helps founders turn meetings into actual term sheets faster.

  • Local founders meet regional investors in one place
  • Strong presence from banks, retail groups and healthcare leaders
  • Recognition for participants keeps momentum after the event

The event closed with a recognition ceremony for investors and start-ups, which sounds ceremonial but does a simple thing: it keeps both sides in the loop for follow-ups.

What is SPARK and how is it linked to SRTIP

SPARK is the new brand for the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park. It led the 2025 edition of Seal the Deal with ecosystem partners.

When and where did Seal the Deal 2025 take place?

On 23 October 2025 at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre during the Sharjah Investment Forum and WAIPA World Investment Conference.

How many start-ups pitched and how much funding was pledged?

Nine start-ups pitched in five-minute slots with Q&A. Investors pledged over AED 4 million.

Who were some of the investors in the room?

Leaders included Abdallah Abu Sheikh, Mishal Kanoo, Mohamed Al Hashemi, Mohamed Khadiri and Sherif Beshara.

What types of ventures were eligible this year?

Student-led and faculty-led ventures, plus early-stage start-ups based in Sharjah.

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