Candam selected as winner of the Access Sharjah Challenge.

June has been an intense month for Candam Technologies and we have done it again!

We crossed borders to the UAE to meet at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) because our technology has been selected as the winner of the Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC) 2023. A global challenge supported by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment that recognises innovative start-ups that provide answers to many of today’s most pressing challenges, and whose theme is the UAE’s Year of Sustainability initiative.

The two winners of the challenge, Candam Technologies and Green Future Project, were selected from a significant volume of entries submitted by contestants from 22 countries around the world. The jury chose the two winners from an impressive group of 10 shortlisted startups from 8 countries, including Germany, Spain, USA, Hungary, Poland, Isle of Man, India and UAE.

Both companies have secured exclusive business deals worth Dh250,000 each and Sheraa’s comprehensive start-up support to successfully launch their businesses in Sharjah’s vibrant, innovation-driven ecosystem. They will also benefit from key business incentives offered to founders in Sharjah, in addition to enjoying the unique privilege of participating in the UAE Year of Sustainability initiatives leading up to the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28).

Candam Technologies has been the winner of ASC’s “Transforming Waste Management” vertical and selected by BEEAH Group, for our innovative solution that supports waste management with patented RecySmart technology, enabling easy and affordable return and incentive schemes, offering efficient identification and sorting of various packaging materials and contributing to a circular economy.

Through the programme, Candam will implement the patented RecySmart device with BEEAH Group, a leading waste manager, to help increase packaging recovery rates in the UAE. Special thanks to the Sheraa team for the opportunity and their gracious hospitality. It is a great opportunity as it will be our first project in the Gulf region, and it has been a welcome respite from visiting the UAE.

In Candam we are impressed by how fast everything is growing and how well defined the goals of the region are. In addition, the hospitality of the people is incredible and the multicultural environment is quite enriching.

The backdrop to the awards ceremony was the Sheraa Sustainability Forum, which brought together various stakeholders, such as government entities, companies, startups and investors, to showcase their efforts in promoting sustainability and driving positive change in the nation, as well as to foster dialogue and encourage the sharing of knowledge and best practices to accelerate sustainable development.

Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa and an inspirational icon for young achievers in the region, addressed directly not only the winners of the challenge, but all the young disruptors and passionate change-makers present at the forum, noting that in each of the winning projects, as well as in all the proposals presented, she saw incredible and scalable solutions that have the potential to realize the world’s vision of sustainability.

She added:

“The success of each project is very significant, as it highlights the importance of transforming social concepts and practices towards sustainability, going beyond mere economic viability and prioritising greater impact. These winners have the potential to reshape industries and pave the way for a greener future, and we are very proud to have given them a platform to do so.”