A Bridge Between Two Startup Powerhouses
The UAE and India have long shared deep cultural, economic, and trade ties — but now, that relationship is expanding into innovation.
In a move that could redefine how startups scale across borders, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) and Startup Middle East have signed an MoU to launch the India Startup Hub (ISH) in Sharjah.
The goal is simple but powerful: create a gateway for Indian startups to access the Gulf market while empowering the UAE with India’s vast pool of innovation, talent, and technology.
Inside the Partnership: What It Means
The MoU, signed in August 2025 by Sara Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, and Siby Sudhakaran, CEO of Startup Middle East, lays the foundation for a shared innovation corridor.
The new India Startup Hub will serve as a soft landing pad for Indian entrepreneurs looking to expand into the UAE and wider MENA region.
Key features include:
- Market access and mentorship through Sheraa’s flagship programmes such as Startup Studio, Deal Dock, and Access Sharjah.
- Regulatory and infrastructure support, leveraging Sharjah’s five free zones and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce.
- Funding and investor connections through Startup Middle East’s network of angel investors, VCs, and accelerators.
It’s more than just a co-working space — it’s a launchpad for Indian innovation in the Gulf.
Why Sharjah?
Sharjah might not always make the first headline when people think “UAE startups,” but that’s quickly changing.
Since its founding in 2016, Sheraa has quietly built one of the most active entrepreneurship ecosystems in the country. It has helped launch over 180 startups, supported 450+ founders, and generated hundreds of millions in revenue.
The city’s strategic location, business-friendly environment, and commitment to creative industries make it a natural home for this new India–UAE collaboration.
For Indian Startups: A Gulf Gateway
India’s startup ecosystem is one of the largest in the world, but global expansion is often limited by access, regulation, and capital.
That’s where Startup Middle East steps in. Founded in 2022, the Dubai-based platform helps startups break into Gulf markets through growth programmes and partnerships. Its collaboration with Sheraa creates something new — a structured, frictionless route for Indian founders to scale into MENA markets.
From fintech and edtech to sustainability and AI, the India Startup Hub promises to connect Indian innovation with Gulf opportunity.
A Collaboration with Real Impact
This partnership is not just symbolic — it’s strategic. The India Startup Hub is designed to support hundreds of founders over the next few years, focusing on:
- Cross-border trade and digital ventures
- Sustainable development and clean technologies
- Creative industries and social entrepreneurship
It will also integrate with India’s own innovation events, like Startup Mahakumbh, and connect with the Indian diaspora network across the UAE — one of the most influential entrepreneurial communities in the Gulf.
As Anoop Ambika, CEO of Kerala Startup Mission, noted, sectors such as oil & gas, logistics, and tourism already have deep Indian talent pools in the UAE — this hub simply channels that energy into innovation.
What Comes Next
Over the next year, we’ll see:
- The official opening of the India Startup Hub in Sharjah.
- The first cohort of Indian startups being onboarded.
- Collaboration between Sheraa and Indian accelerators for joint startup challenges and funding showcases.
If successful, this initiative could become a model for other regional startup corridors — linking the Gulf with India’s thriving entrepreneurial cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kochi.
A Shared Vision for the Future
The Sheraa–Startup Middle East partnership highlights something bigger than just business. It represents how regional cooperation can build sustainable innovation ecosystems.
It’s not just about startups crossing borders — it’s about knowledge, talent, and culture moving with them.
As the UAE continues its journey to become a global innovation hub and India cements its role as a tech powerhouse, the India Startup Hub in Sharjah stands as a symbol of what happens when collaboration meets purpose.
Editor’s Note — From the Startups MENA Team
At Startups MENA, we focus on stories that redefine what regional collaboration can look like. The MoU between Sheraa and Startup Middle East isn’t just paperwork — it’s infrastructure for opportunity.
By giving Indian founders a launchpad in the Gulf and Emirati investors access to a world of Indian innovation, this hub brings the next era of cross-border entrepreneurship into focus.
The real transformation happens not in speeches or ceremonies, but in the daily grind of founders who build across geographies — and this partnership gives them the runway to do exactly that.
— The Startups MENA Editorial Team
