Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator (SAIA)

A scale-up program designed to fast-track advanced tech startups through mentorship, industry access, and investment opportunities at SPark.

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Driving Innovation & Scale

Why Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator (SAIA)?

SAIA connects global tech innovators with industry, research, and investment to help them scale. Our platform bridges the gap between research, technology, and commercial success — all within the dynamic ecosystem of SPark.

Invested by ecosystem partners in SPark $100m+
Accelerated startups 50+

Focus Areas

Sustainability Cohort
- Waste Management
  
  01
  Waste Collection and Processing
  
  02
  Circular Economy Solutions
  
  03
  Data Analytics and Al
  
  04
  Waste-to-Energy
  
  05
  Waste Reduction and Education.
- Precision Agriculture
  
  01
  Irrigation and Automation
  
  02
  Sensors and Data Platforms
  
  03
  Biotechnology and Crop Optimization
  
  04
  Al and Predictive Analytics
  
  05
  Blockchain and Traceability
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Healthcare Cohort
- Healthcare Technology
  
  01
  Medical Devices & Wearables
  
  02
  Wearable Technology Companies
  
  03
  Healthcare IT and Software Companies
  
  04
  Remote Patient Monitoring Providers
  
  05
  Biotechnology Companies
  
  06
  Regulatory and Compliance Consultancies
  
  07
  Contract Manufacturers
- Hospital Automation
  
  01
  Diagnostic Devices
  
  02
  Therapeutic Devices
  
  03
  Personal Health Wearables
  
  04
  Medical VR and AR
  
  05
  Telehealth and Remote Monitoring
  
  06
  Hospital Management Software
  
  07
  Medical Robotics
  
  08
  Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
  
  09
  Hospital Connectivity and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
- Insure Tech
  
  01
  Digital Health Insurance Platforms
  
  02
  Wearable-based Insurance Models
  
  03
  Al-powered Risk Assessment and Underwriting
  
  04
  Telehealth Integration and Claims Management
  
  05
  Blockchain-based Healthcare Data Security
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Cohort Timeline

Sustainability

Healthcare

01 22 Feb – 09 May

Application and Recruitment

International and regional startup call and scouting in the entrepreneur ecosystem.
02 27 May – 28 May

Selection Interviews

Selection of the participating startups for the Acceleration Program
03 29 May

Finalists Announcement

Announcement of the finalist selected to go through the Acceleration Program.
04 8 July - 17 July

Acceleration

2-weeks acceleration program on SRTIP Campus
05 18 July

Demo & Investor Day

Startups pitch presentations to investors and results of the Program.

01 TBA

Application and Recruitment

International and regional startup call and scouting in the entrepreneur ecosystem.
02 TBA

Selection Interviews

Selection of the participating startups for the Acceleration Program
03 TBA

Finalists Announcement

Announcement of the finalist selected to go through the Acceleration Program.
04 TBA

Acceleration

2-weeks acceleration program on SRTIP Campus
05 TBA

Demo & Investor Day

Startups pitch presentations to investors and results of the Program.

What SAIA Offers

Scale-up acceleration for growth-stage tech ventures

01

Free access to the accelerator programme
02

Up to 10 startups selected per cohort
03

Discounted coworking and office space at SPark
04

Direct connections to potential clients + marketing visibility
05

Demo day and public launch opportunity
06

Access to local networking and innovation events
07

Advisory and mentorship from 200+ industry partners
08

Access to the region’s largest additive manufacturing & rapid prototyping hub
09

One-on-one matchmaking with corporates and government
10

Academic collaboration with top regional universities
11

Introductions to Business Angel networks

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FAQ

01
How many companies are selected for each SAIA cohort?
+ -

We shortlist around 25–30 applicants for virtual interviews and ultimately accept up to 10 growth-stage scale-ups per cohort. Limiting the cohort size lets us give each company dedicated mentors, 1-on-1 matchmaking sessions, and tailored pilot opportunities inside SRTI Park.
02
Which sectors qualify for the accelerator?
+ -

SAIA targets technology-driven companies in six high-impact domains:
• Waste Management & Circularity (collection, recycling, waste-to-energy)
• Precision Agriculture (IoT irrigation, ag-biotech, AI analytics)
• Healthcare Technology (digital health, med-devices, biotech)
• Hospital Automation (AI diagnostics, robotics, IoMT)
• InsurTech (digital health-insurance, AI underwriting, blockchain security)
• Smart Materials & Advanced Manufacturing supporting the above verticals.
03
What practical training and resources are provided during the two-week on-campus program?
+ -

Finalists work from SRTI Park’s prototyping labs and co-working hub, receiving:
• Intensive workshops on market entry, compliance, and fundraising
• Technical sessions in additive manufacturing, IoT, and data analytics
• Daily office-hours with 200+ ecosystem mentors, corporate partners, and VCs
• Piloting support to validate solutions with regional industry players.

Last Editions

2022

2023

+1625

Startups from 45 different countries applied
49

Countries
35

Startups invited to the Selection Days
6

Focus Areas
7

Finalist Startups

+4200

Startups from 79 different countries applied
75

Countries
35

Startups invited to the Selection Days
6

Focus Areas
10

Finalist Startups

SAIA 2023 WINNING STARTUP

Solumar, a female-led startup, stands out as the winning team in the 4th Edition SAIA Accelerator program.

Recognized for developing cost-efficient technologies to combat emissions and air pollutants, Solumar exemplifies the program’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The recent feature on CNN International further highlights the innovative technologies that have earned Solumar this prestigious recognition.

Our mission is to continuously support UAE to quickly and cost efficiently become the first MENA nation to reach its Net-Zero objectives. Thanks to our successful participation in Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator, we are one step closer to achieving this mission.

Rennie PopchevaCEO – Solumar.