Entrepreneurial and Family Business Ecosystem. The case of Sharjah in the UAE

Tuesday, April 1, 2025
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Alumni, Community, Faculty, Staff

Target: local stakeholder and policy makers

Seminar description: This seminar delves into the birth and development of Sharjah's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Rodrigo Basco will explore how Sharjah, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), recognized as the Cultural Capital of the UAE, has transformed into a vibrant hub for entrepreneurship. This transformation began after the 2008 financial crisis when the UAE government adopted a new economic agenda focused on diversification and reducing oil dependence. Through a detailed analysis, Dr. Basco will illustrate the complex dynamics and interactions that have fostered an entrepreneurial spirit in Sharjah.

The seminar will provide a comprehensive understanding of how an entrepreneurial ecosystem emerges and evolves. The research combines both qualitative and quantitative data, including interviews with local stakeholders, focus groups, and surveys measuring entrepreneurial activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the speaker and one another to exchange ideas and knowledge to compare the local with Sharjah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. This interaction promises to enrich the understanding of the factors driving successful ecosystems and offer practical insights for policymakers, scholars, and entrepreneurs interested in the dynamics of economic development.

RSVP for this event

Location Information

L. William Seidman Center
Charles W. Loosemore Forum SCB 1008A
50 Front Ave SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Contact Information

Ana Gonzalez
[email protected]
616-331-7359

Share this event

This event was added to the calendar by Valerie Palmer (palmerv@eduftp.net) on Friday, February 21, 2025 and was last updated on Monday, February 24, 2025 at 8:16 a.m.