Sharjah unveils a new AED 1,000 business licence to lower entry barriers for early-stage startups across six priority sectors.
Sharjah has introduced a new AED 1,000 commercial licence aimed at lowering entry barriers for aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage startups, as the emirate steps up efforts to support innovation-led business creation.
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The Business Establishment licence will be officially unveiled during the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026, scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park. The licence will be available exclusively during the two-day event, marking its first public rollout.
Targeted at founders in the early stages of building their businesses, the licence applies to startups operating in six priority sectors: sustainability, creative industries, edtech, advanced manufacturing, health tech, and transport. The selected sectors align with its longer-term economic strategy, which has increasingly focused on future-ready and knowledge-based industries.
Officials say the initiative is designed to reduce upfront costs that often discourage new entrepreneurs from formalising their ventures. Licensing fees, office requirements, and regulatory complexity have long been cited as friction points for founders across the region, particularly those testing early product-market fit.
By offering a low-cost, accessible entry point, Sharjah aims to encourage more founders to formalise operations, experiment with new ideas, and scale within a regulated framework. The move complements broader initiatives across the emirate to foster entrepreneurship, innovation, and SME growth as key drivers of economic diversification.
Why Sharjah Matters to MENA
Across MENA, early-stage founders frequently struggle not with ideas or talent, but with the cost and complexity of incorporation. Sharjah’s AED 1,000 licence sends a clear signal that subnational governments can play a direct role in easing startup formation.
For entrepreneurs, it lowers the risk of starting up. For investors, it expands the top of the funnel—bringing more startups into the formal economy earlier, where they can be tracked, supported, and eventually funded.
