Global business icons to join Khabib Nurmagomedov at Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026
Leadership, luxury, AI and enterprise to shape two-day programme
DUBAI – The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival will return for its ninth edition on January 31 and February 1, 2026, bringing together founders, investors and decision-makers from across the region and beyond.
Set to take place at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), the two-day event will feature more than 300 speakers spanning business, technology, culture and sport. Organisers expect around 14,000 attendees, reinforcing the festival’s position as one of the region’s largest platforms for entrepreneurial exchange.
Among the headline speakers announced for Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 is Khabib Nurmagomedov, the retired UFC mixed martial artist who has since built a growing presence in business and mentorship. Nurmagomedov’s participation adds a performance-driven perspective to a programme focused on leadership, long-term thinking and resilience.
Speaker line-up
Nurmagomedov will take part in an in-conversation session titled The Making of a Champion: What it Takes to be Undefeated, moderated by entrepreneur and content creator Anas Bukhash. The session will draw on Nurmagomedov’s transition from elite sport to entrepreneurship, exploring how discipline, preparation and mindset translate beyond competition and into business leadership.
The wider speaker line-up includes Patrick Chalhoub, Executive Chairman of Chalhoub Group; Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Chairman of Alsara Group and Bidayat; and Mounaz Abdel Raouf, co-founder of Okhtein. Together, they will examine how regional luxury brands are scaling globally while preserving identity, creativity and cultural relevance in competitive international markets.
Focus on technology
Technology and innovation will form a central pillar of the 2026 programme. Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer of Alphabet’s X moonshot factory, is set to address innovation and emerging technologies, with a focus on bridging human potential and technological advancement. His session will explore how founders can build impactful ventures in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Kartik Renjen, Head of Startups at AWS, will lead a discussion on the future of AI startups in the Middle East and North Africa. The session will assess emerging opportunities, responsibilities and growth trajectories for founders operating in one of the world’s fastest-evolving innovation ecosystems.
Enterprise scale
Badr Jafar, Chief Executive of Crescent Enterprises, will contribute insights on enterprise at scale, examining how large organisations are adapting to shifting global economic and social realities. His session will focus on leadership, resilience and the structural changes shaping interconnected markets.
Under the theme Where We Belong, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 is organised by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) and will convene founders alongside investors, creatives, policymakers and industry leaders. The programme will include talks, interactive sessions and curated experiences, with further speaker announcements and agenda details expected in the lead-up to the event.