Shams Connect 2.0 Unites Entrepreneurs with Banking and Business Expertise

Sharjah Media City brings together business founders and financial institutions to foster growth, knowledge exchange and strategic partnerships across the emirate's thriving entrepreneurial landscape.

The entrepreneurial ecosystem thrives when the right connections converge at precisely the right moment. Sharjah Media City, known as Shams, recently orchestrated such a convergence, hosting the second edition of Shams Connect in collaboration with Mashreq NEO BIZ, an event designed to weave together the threads that bind business founders, financial institutions and industry specialists into a cohesive support network.

The gathering assembled entrepreneurs and business owners alongside representatives from Mashreq NEO BIZ, the Federal Tax Authority and Zoho, creating an environment where practical wisdom could be exchanged freely. Sessions addressed the fundamental pillars of contemporary business operations: banking solutions tailored to emerging enterprises, financial management strategies, e-invoicing systems and the digital transformation technologies that increasingly shape operational efficiency.

Rashid Sahoo, Director of Operations at Sharjah Media City, articulated a philosophy that extends beyond the conventional role of business registration. “At Shams, we believe that business success depends not only on establishing companies, but also on creating the right environment for them to grow and connecting entrepreneurs with the partners, expertise and opportunities they need to achieve their ambitions,” he noted. This perspective recognises that the free zone’s purpose transcends administrative functions; it encompasses building an integrated business community where growth becomes not merely possible but encouraged.

Usman Khawaja, Senior Vice President and NEO BIZ Business Development Head at Mashreq, reinforced this vision through the bank’s lens. “Banking is one of the first building blocks of a successful business,” he observed. “Through our partnership with Sharjah Media City, we are creating a more seamless path from business setup to business banking, helping entrepreneurs become operational faster and build with confidence.”

A panel discussion centred on the theme of smart finance for business growth explored how financial planning, banking services and technology solutions enable businesses to navigate contemporary challenges whilst identifying pathways towards sustainable expansion. Participants engaged in direct conversations about Shams’ business setup services, commercial licensing options, corporate banking solutions and the operational considerations inherent in building and scaling an enterprise.

The Shams Connect initiative represents a deliberate effort to strengthen the connections between business establishment and ongoing business support. Through such partnerships, the emirate advances collaboration between public and private sectors, embodying Sharjah’s forward thinking approach whilst contributing to the broader UAE ambition of fostering an economy animated by innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable investment.

Source: WAM

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