Entrepreneurs spotlight mindful ventures that are shaping a more sustainable future at SEF 2024

The UAE and the region seem to be in safe hands environmentally going by the care and thought that entrepreneurs in the automobile sector and industry heavyweights in the transportation sector have invested to keep planet earth livable, as a panel discussion titled ‘Revving up the engines of e-mobility’ discovered during the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2024, which concluded on Sunday.

Moderated by Abdel Razak Al Sherif, Head of Programmes at Sheraa, the panel had the esteemed presence of Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO, Beeah Group; Rashid Alsalmi, Founder, Sulmi; Adam Ridgway, Founder, One Moto; and Zach Faizal, Founder, Peec. Interestingly, all are players in the UAE, who have custom-made their products and facilities to suit the country’s needs in the wake of COP28 and the commitment to transition away from fossil fuels.

Al Huraimel introduced his company Beeah as a leader in waste management started 15 years ago to tackle environmental challenges the region is facing, and today operates across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He informed that as a company with over 2,000 vehicles, one of the ventures it started in 2018 was ION to provide sustainable transport solutions. It has a contract with Sharjah RTA for sustainable transport, and operates a fleet of electric vehicles in Masdar City.

He added that in Sharjah the target is to reach zero waste as landfills result in 60 percent of emissions. By operating waste-to-energy facilities, Beeah is on its way to reaching zero waste-to-landfill, he noted. He also revealed plans to operate hydrogen-powered trucks.

Ridgway opened up about his venture One Moto, an electric vehicle manufacturer from London, which today operates in 10 countries. The venture was a means to lessen the impact that delivery bikes and vans were having on the environment. He stressed, “My ambition is to decarbonise last-mile delivery in the UAE.”

For Alsalmi, founder of the Dubai-based Sulmi, which provides next-generation mobility solutions, leaving a job to become an entrepreneur was the right step because he “loved to invent and create things”. Sulmi, which is part of Sheraa, launched its e-motorbike last year. “It took me two and a half years, what I thought would take only six months. But I believe it is important to take such risks and I love what I do,” stated the young entrepreneur. He added that Sharjah was a success story for him and he is now venturing into South Korean and Chinese markets.

Faisal, the founder of Peec, which repurposes retired vehicles to provide an alternative, complementary solution to manufacturing new ones, said he found his passion and purpose in automobile engineering. He added that he came from an entrepreneurial family, and had spent more time in the factory than in school. “Understanding business is all about people,” emphasising on employee care be it at Peec with 50 employees or his parents' company with 3,000 employees.

Organised by Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre on 3th-4th February at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), SEF 2024 celebrates the theme 'Our Shared Canvas' and has 200+ speakers and changemakers, 100+ startups and over 50 leading investors who have come together on the SEF platform to share, explore, learn, collaborate and create impact.