In the United Arab Emirates, where cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai consistently rank among the world’s most forward-thinking, the Emirate of Sharjah, the country’s cultural and knowledge capital, has decisively positioned itself as a premier hub for research and innovations in healthcare. This transformation is primarily driven by the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) formerly SRTIP, SRTI Park.
This ambition was powerfully demonstrated during the recent “Sharjah Next: Healthcare” forum, which transcended a typical conference, evolving into a powerful statement of intent. It assembled a host of global healthcare luminaries, including Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, a pioneer in cardiothoracic surgery; Professor Humaid Obaid Al-Shamsi, a leading Emirati oncologist; and Dr. Vladimir Ivkovic of Harvard Medical School.
“With Sharjah Next: Healthcare, we created a global stage for dialogue, discovery, and collaboration,” commented Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SPARK. “Our aim is to connect international expertise with local opportunity, ensuring that innovation in Sharjah translates into lasting health and wellbeing for communities everywhere.”
The forum mirrored SPARK’s core mission: to bridge the gap between groundbreaking laboratory research and real-world applications. The discussions delved into frontiers of neuroscience, AI-driven diagnostics, space medicine, and biotechnology, creating a unique networking platform for academics, clinicians, startups, and policymakers.
A resounding endorsement of this ecosystem came from HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who announced a $2 million grant to the revolutionary “Magdi Yacoub Valve” project. This pioneering technology, which allows a patient’s body to grow a living heart valve, exemplifies the type of transformative research SPARK is designed to nurture.
SPARK’s model is fundamentally built on a robust triple-helix framework of collaboration between government, industry, and academia. New partnerships signed at the forum included an MOU with Boehringer Ingelheim to provide SPARK researchers access to its open-innovation platform, ‘OpnME’, and a master research agreement with Aster DM Healthcare to fast-track the development of medical technologies and AI in diagnostics.
These collaborations underscore a key value proposition for investors and researchers: SPARK is more than a physical park; it is an integrated ecosystem offering facilities like the SoiLab prototyping and manufacturing hub, streamlined regulatory support, and access to international partners and funding opportunities.
