Startup workforce eligible for discounts on Emirates flights after Sheraa deal

Dubai: Emirates airline will provide discounted fares to workforces at tech startups relocating their operations to the UAE.

This follows an agreement with Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), and offering cheaper fares to and from its network of over 90 destinations for the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival and startups relocating to the UAE through Sheraa's 'soft-landing' offer. "Emirates has long been an avid supporter of innovative start-ups and initiatives within the travel and aviation ecosystem, and we are pleased to partner Sheraa to support Sharjah," said Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer for Emirates Airline.

"We will be contributing to those efforts through attracting and connecting start-ups to the UAE with Sheraa across our network with the end goal of fostering innovation and stimulating valuable economic activity."

Cast the net

As a part of the deal, Emirates will work alongside Sheraa, both locally and across its international roadshows and events that aim to attract startups. The partnership will also enable greater access to market opportunities for startups through supplier day engagements.

"This partnership reflects our belief that corporate stakeholders play a critical role in establishing Sharjah as a thriving entrepreneurship hub, by enabling innovation and supporting tech startups that can accelerate economic growth and diversification," said Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa.

Supporting startups

Since inception, Sheraa has supported 114 startups that have gone on to generate over $125 million (Dh459 million) in revenue, raise over $74 million (Dh272 million) in investment and create over 1,300 jobs. It recently launched UAE's first government-backed startup studio, Sharjah Startup Studio (S3), to support ventures that are "profitable, sustainable and solving real problems in the world".