Strong attendance and media presence
The festival was attended by Hamad Ali Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Chairman of the Sharjah Economic Development Department, and visited by a number of officials, including Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah Digital Department; Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Salem Al Qasimi; Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; Mohammed Majid Al Suwaidi, Director of Sharjah Sports Channel; Dr Amina Mohammed, Vice-Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Sharjah; and Mohammed Al Nazir. Media outlets covered the event throughout its five days, alongside attendance by content creators.
An outstandingly successful event
Hamad Ali Abdullah Al Mahmoud described the festival as a successful platform that reflected growing interest in entrepreneurship across the emirate. He said the turnout and engagement from business owners underlined confidence in initiatives that support young entrepreneurs and encourage innovation.
He added that the Mada Festival is one of RUWAD’s initiatives aimed at strengthening links between the community and emerging businesses while promoting self-employment among young people. Al Mahmoud also referred to the venue choice at the House of Wisdom, which provided space for exhibitions, live demonstrations, and direct interaction between project owners and visitors.
Interactive showcases and live experiences
Fatima Al Ali, acting director of RUWAD, said the second edition marked the foundation’s first major event of the year. The festival included 25 home-based projects and 26 commercial ventures, including five national projects representing the Federal Youth Foundation under the Youth Efforts initiative. She said total sales generated by participating projects exceeded AED 500,000 during the five days. Al Ali noted that the culinary experience area featured live presentations from projects including RK, Inner Child, Uncle Sam, Tramisu, and Rice.
Participants’ perspectives
Entrepreneurs who took part said the festival provided opportunities to present their work and connect with the public. Noor Mohammed and Nawaf Mohammed Al Hai of Pegaso said their participation contributed to building their brand and exchanging experiences with other business owners. Fatima Sultan bin Hussein, owner of FSK Store, thanked His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, for his continued support of young people and praised the organisers for their efforts. She said the festival allowed her to engage directly with visitors, gather feedback and expand professional networks while presenting a range of artistically designed products that reflect her personal style.
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