- A strategic partnership was signed at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 to strengthen startup and SME financial access
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 17th February 2026: Al Fardan Exchange, one of the UAE’s leading and trusted financial services providers since 1971, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) to support startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with tailored money transfer and financial solutions. The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026, reinforcing a shared commitment to strengthening the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and enabling sustainable business growth.
The partnership will focus on engagement with Sheraa’s network of over 500 startups and SMEs to better understand their financial service needs and explore potential collaboration opportunities. As part of the partnership, Al Fardan Exchange will participate in selected Sheraa ecosystem initiatives, including demo days, community programmes, and investor forums, offering startups and SMEs access to financial expertise and practical insights.
The collaboration comes at a time when the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global entrepreneurship hub and was ranked number one worldwide in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2024–2025 report.
“Startups and SMEs are a vital engine of economic growth and innovation in the UAE,” said Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, CEO of Al Fardan Exchange. “Access to trusted, compliant financial services remains a critical enabler of their success. Through our partnership with Sheraa, we aim to work closely with founders to better understand their operational realities and explore how meaningful financial access can support their growth, resilience, and cross-border ambitions. This collaboration reflects our long-term commitment to enabling inclusive and sustainable economic participation.”
H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), said: “Small and medium-sized enterprises play a vital role in driving innovation and sustainable economic growth across the UAE. At Sheraa, we are committed to supporting founders and SMEs by connecting them with the resources, expertise, and partnerships they need to grow and scale. Our collaboration with Al Fardan Exchange helps provide tailored financial solutions that enable startups and SMEs to operate more efficiently, expand into new markets, and contribute to the UAE’s diversified, innovation-led economy.”
As the UAE continues to advance its innovation-led growth agenda, partnerships between established financial institutions and entrepreneurship enablers are becoming increasingly important. By combining Sheraa’s ecosystem reach with Al Fardan Exchange’s financial expertise and infrastructure, the collaboration seeks to contribute meaningfully to the development of a more connected, resilient, and globally competitive startup and SME landscape.
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About Al Fardan Exchange
Al Fardan Exchange is a member of the Al Fardan Group, which has roots stretching back to 1954. Emerging from a seafaring and pearl trading tradition to commercial trade, the Al Fardan name is built on a solid bedrock of security and reliability. Leveraging on the Group’s diversified business interests and successful operations in real estate, high-end jewellery and financial services, Al Fardan Exchange holds a global reach with trust and credibility as its main ethics.
Established in 1971, Al Fardan Exchange has had the unique opportunity of playing a part in supporting communities that have helped build this nation by helping them bring life to their dreams – both here and in their home countries. Today, Al Fardan Exchange is incredibly proud to serve the UAE’s cosmopolitan community through its strong network of 92+ branches across all Emirates, along with a state-of-the-art App for money transfers and payments. Reinforced by strong relationships with over 150 global corresponding banks, financial institutions, and other financial service providers, Al Fardan Exchange offers secure transactions that firmly place reliability and trust in the forefront.
To learn more about Al Fardan Exchange, visit alfardanexchange.com
About Sheraa
Sheraa is a government-supported entity operating under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sheraa and daughter of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. Through accelerator and incubation programmes, mentorship, investor access, and large-scale ecosystem platforms, Sheraa plays a central role in supporting founders across all stages of their entrepreneurial journey.