Nestlé UAE partners with Sheraa, MAJRA, and the UAE Food Cluster to launch NextGen Founders Youth Entrepreneurship Program

Nestlé UAE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sheraa, MAJRA and the UAE Food Cluster to launch NextGen Founders, a three‑month youth entrepreneurship programme aimed at helping aspiring founders across the UAE turn ideas into validated, market‑ready concepts. The MoU was formalised at the Future Food Forum 2026 in the presence of H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism; H.E. Sarah Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa; Sarah Shaw, CEO of MAJRA; Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food Cluster; and Dina Mongy, Associate Director and Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé UAE.

"This MoU reflects the value of bringing the private sector, government entities, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem together around a shared ambition to support the next generation of entrepreneurs," said Rachid Maalouli, Managing Director, Nestlé Coastal Arabia Cluster. "Through NextGen Founders, we aim to provide young people with practical support, access to expertise, and meaningful networks that can help them turn their ideas into opportunities."

Programme structure and partners

NextGen Founders is a three‑month programme delivered through a blend of in‑person and online learning, mentorship and networking opportunities. The participating organisations say the curriculum will guide selected participants through idea development, validation and entrepreneurial problem‑solving, with practical inputs from industry partners and access to ecosystem networks.

• Partners: Nestlé UAE, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), MAJRA, UAE Food Cluster.
• Launch forum: Future Food Forum 2026, with senior government and industry presence.
• Target participants: Eligible university and postgraduate students aged 18–30 from participating universities across the UAE.
• Delivery: Combination of in‑person and online modules, mentorship and industry access.

Voices from the ecosystem

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center CEO H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi emphasised Sheraa’s role in founder development: "Empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs begins with cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and giving young people the tools and opportunities to turn ambition into action. Through NextGen Founders, Sheraa brings its expertise in venture building, mentorship, and founder development to help participants validate their ideas, harness emerging technologies, and develop solutions with real market potential."

Sarah Shaw, CEO of MAJRA, framed youth entrepreneurship as an investment in the UAE’s future: "When young entrepreneurs are given the right capabilities, networks, and support, their ideas can become solutions that create economic value and meaningful impact. NextGen Founders demonstrates what can be achieved when the private sector and the wider entrepreneurship ecosystem come together to create practical pathways from ambition to action."

Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food Cluster, highlighted sectoral opportunity: "Building a future‑ready food ecosystem requires collaboration; big players and young entrepreneurs play an equal role in shaping that future... Through NextGen Founders, we are pleased to work alongside Nestlé UAE, Sheraa, and MAJRA to provide the networks, industry access and opportunities that can help nurture the next generation of food and business leaders."

Context and outlook

NextGen Founders builds on a prior Youth Circle on the Future of Youth Entrepreneurship hosted by Nestlé UAE in partnership with the Federal Youth Authority, MAJRA, Sheraa and the UAE Food Cluster. Insights from that dialogue informed the programme design, with organisers noting the value of coordinated support across government, academia and industry.

Applications will open via Sheraa’s website for eligible students; further details and the application opening date will be published through Sheraa’s official channels. Nestlé UAE, which employs more than 1,600 people in the country and operates four manufacturing facilities, said the partnership represents a strategic investment in talent, innovation and enterprise that it expects will support a more resilient and competitive UAE economy.