Dh250,000 support awaits 12 shortlisted startups in Access Sharjah Challenge 2025

Sharjah: The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has announced the 12 shortlisted startups for the Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC) 2025, selected from over 4,600 applications representing more than 90 countries.

This year’s edition features two dedicated tracks: Future-Ready Skills, in collaboration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and Arabic in Early Childhood, in collaboration with the Sharjah Education Academy. Both tracks aim to advance Arabic language learning and equip students with the skills needed to thrive in the future job market.

In the Future-Ready Skills track, the shortlisted startups are Edlytica, Evolve Careers, Certify Me, Peekapak, ProjoTech, and Skills Builder. The Arabic in Early Childhood track includes Lamsa, Little Thinking Minds, Hodhud, eduTechnoz, arabee, and Jana Reading. Collectively, these ventures represent a powerhouse of innovation, reaffirming ASC’s mission to champion startups that are reshaping the future of education and creating measurable, lasting impact.

Spanning both international and regional innovators, the 12 ventures offer bold solutions ranging from personalized learning platforms and interactive digital content to advanced skills-building technologies. Their diversity reflects the spirit of ASC, bridging global talent with Sharjah’s dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem to co-create scalable solutions that redefine how knowledge is delivered and experienced.

The selected startups will participate in a Startup Readiness Sprint, a two-day intensive program designed to prepare them for a successful PoC (Proof of Concept) collaboration. The sprint covers Sharjah’s education ecosystem, pilot-focused pitching, and practical AMA simulations to ensure startups are fully equipped for their upcoming pilots.

The program will culminate in Pitch Day on September 9, where participating startups will present their solutions to a panel of strategic partners and education experts. Two startups—one from each track—will be selected to move into the PoC implementation phase, which will run from late September 2025 through January 2026.

Each winning solution will receive a pilot contract of Dh 250,000 to support implementation and scale its impact. In addition, selected startups will gain access to collaboration opportunities with key stakeholders in Sharjah’s education ecosystem.

Now in its seventh edition, the Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC) has grown into a flagship global initiative led by Sheraa. Designed to attract and empower startups from around the world, ASC provides a unique platform for entrepreneurs to pilot and scale innovative solutions that address pressing sectoral challenges, with Sharjah serving as a launchpad to the wider region.