Under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Shell UAE held the Shell Startup Engine Demo Day at Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park today, giving a platform for eight ambitious startups to pitch their innovative sustainable energy solutions to an audience of government officials and private sector investors and partners.
In partnership with StartupBootcamp, Shell Startup Engine is the local chapter of the group’s global flagship programme, designed to support early to mid-stage energy startups looking to play a role in tomorrow’s smarter, cleaner energy future.
During the event, H.E. Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, said: “The UAE continues to take ambitious steps to build a low-carbon future through innovative and tech-enabled solutions that serve the energy sector and help achieve the objectives of its Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.”
He added: “In line with the directives of our wise leadership, we seek to engage all sectors in the fight against climate change. The private sector plays an active role in our decarbonization drive by reducing emissions from their operations and services.”
Mr. Ali Al Janabi, Chairman for Shell Group of Companies in the UAE and Iraq said “At Shell, while we continue to pursue the development of sustainable energy and mobility solutions, we recognise that accelerating the transition to a net zero emissions world requires more work and we need to create opportunities for innovation and advancement for society at large. The startup ecosystem in the UAE has enabled entrepreneurs for years, and we had the privilege to bring together a talented cohort to be part of our flagship programme for the first time in the region with StartupBootcamp.”
Mr. Hussain Al Mahmoud, CEO of SRTIP, said: “We are proud to associate ourselves with Shell in this ambitious programme designed to allow innovation-driven startups to pitch their sustainable energy solutions to a select group. This is part of our several initiatives to support the energy sector through accelerators and cooperation programs, in line with the UAE government’s plan to switch to clean and renewable energy. Our global accelerators program (Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator (SAIA)) has attracted many startups from around the world, positioning us as a testing destination for advanced technologies, through research and development and talent development. We pride ourselves as an innovation hub focused on driving the development of solutions to the challenges facing today’s world, by energising partnerships between the public and private sectors, in addition to generating demand, creating job opportunities, and attracting investment to the region.”
Utilising mentors and coaches from within the company and beyond, including experts from around the world, Shell is committed to empowering startups through the programme, allowing them to gain insights into the energy sector and build the expertise they need. The participants will have the opportunity to connect to a wider community, strongly positioning their startups for success.
Winners from the Demo Day will have access to over €500,000 in exclusive partner deals from technology providers and continued post-programme support through exclusive access to content, industry platforms and events.
