Seven Women Entrepreneurs Shine at Pearl Quest Competition in Sharjah

The Sharjah Business Women Council concludes its third Pearl Quest competition, celebrating emerging ventures and forging pathways toward investment and sustainable growth

Beneath the gleaming towers of Aljada, seven women entrepreneurs gathered to test their mettle before investors and expert judges. Pearl Quest, the Sharjah Business Women Council’s signature competition, concluded its third edition with prizes, partnerships and something more valuable still: genuine momentum toward expansion and market impact.

The event, held at Your Space in Aljada, drew Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBWC, alongside representatives from investment firms and organisations championing entrepreneurial growth across the emirate. The atmosphere carried the weight of genuine opportunity. Three businesses emerged with cash prizes totalling AED95,000: Tapy, founded by Maryam Alhussainy, claimed first place and AED60,000. Omniyati Prosthetics Arts Center, led by Ashwaq Hamood Alhashemi, received AED20,000 for second place, whilst Bidaia AI, represented by Alya Ghobash and Lubna Zaitouni, secured AED15,000 for third place.

Yet the true value of Pearl Quest extends beyond the monetary awards. Participants strengthened their pitching capabilities, gained insight into how investors evaluate growth potential, and refined their business models through expert feedback. The competition created space for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, expand professional networks and explore collaboration possibilities that might otherwise remain inaccessible.

Sheikha Hind reflected on the competition’s deeper purpose. “Entrepreneurial success begins with a business’s ability to deliver real value to the market, meet clearly defined needs and build competitive advantages that support growth and expansion,” she noted. The SBWC works to help promising ventures become more competitive and contribute meaningfully to Sharjah and the broader UAE economy through training, professional guidance, facilitated access to funding, and strategic partnerships that unlock new markets.

A significant development emerged through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between SBWC and Majra, the National CSR Fund. The agreement establishes a pilot framework allowing up to two Pearl Quest winners to be referred to Majra’s Marfa’a programme for consideration. This partnership focuses on capacity building across investment readiness, partnership readiness and procurement readiness, preparing businesses to supply products and services to companies and organisations across the region.

Sheikha Hind emphasised the Council’s vision for these seven finalists. “We see them as promising ventures whose potential extends beyond the competition and its prizes,” she said. Through relationships with supporting institutions and investors, SBWC aims to help these entrepreneurs progress to more advanced stages of development, access new markets and seise emerging opportunities from their foundation in Sharjah.

The memorandum was signed by Maryam bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, and Sarah Shaw, CEO of Majra, the National CSR Fund. The event concluded with attendees visiting business display spaces, learning directly from the entrepreneurs about their offerings and exploring potential collaborations.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

Sharjah’s Pearl Quest represents a model of entrepreneurial support gaining momentum across the emirates. The competition demonstrates how structured investment readiness programmes, expert mentorship and direct access to investors can accelerate the growth of women-led businesses, a demographic increasingly vital to the region’s economic diversification.

The partnership between SBWC and Majra signals a broader institutional commitment to building pathways for emerging businesses toward procurement opportunities and corporate partnerships. As the UAE continues to strengthen its entrepreneurial ecosystem, such collaborations between business councils and national investment funds create networks and resources that benefit entrepreneurs across the emirates, contributing to economic resilience and sustainable development throughout the region.

Source: WAM