The Sharikati programme of Injaz Oman stands out among the many initiatives in Oman aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and inculcating different skills among the youth of Oman. The competitions organised see innovative business ideas and they often translate as real business ventures. As new joiners of Sharikati programme begin to plot out their business plans and decide on their products and services in Injaz Oman’s Sharikati programme every year, previous. Sharikati graduates carry forward the legacy of the entrepreneurial experience and innovation.
Despite not winning the competition, some teams from previous editions of Sharikati programmes have taken the foundation of their learning and continued as entrepreneurs developing their small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Among one of the transformational stories from the Sharikati programme is that of the currently existing Bella Luna Productions at the National Business Center in Knowledge Oasis. Sulaiman Al Mahrooqi took part in the Sharikati 2013 competition as part of Masaar, a student company that creates applications for a grocery shopping and restaurant services systems. Equipped with new skills and knowledge, Al Mahrooqi decided to explore a new challenge and he is today one of the four founders of Bella Luna Productions, a photography and video production company that provides its services to conferences, exhibitions, corporate events, and weddings.
Al Mahrooqi stated, “We were freelancing as Bella Luna before Sharikati, but after completing the programme we decided to utilise what we learned to establish our own company. We acquired new skills in management, client communications, leadership, pitches delivery, business plan development and target audience understanding.”
Ahmed bin Saleh Al Jahdhami, CEO of the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), a member of Nama Group and a Board Member at Injaz Oman said, “The Sharikati programme is an effective educational initiative that teaches students lasting skills and real life experience in understanding and evaluating how small and medium businesses can grow and flourish. This enriching experience is a realistic reflection of SME development in Oman, and students are given the opportunity to continue this experience and take it to another level after completing the competition. Through this, Sharikati demonstrates Nama Group’s sustainability values as it implants sustainable skills and experiences in the students.”
Al Mahrooqi along with Amal Al Minji joined members of the student company Clickers, Munthar Al Minji and Mohammed Al Rawahi, and started their business. The quartet was awarded incubation at the National Business Centre in January. The company has worked with various key clients, including Oman Oil Company and the Ministry
of Education.
Similarly, the student company Rawand from Sultan Qaboos University, which participated in 2013 were not recognised for any award when they took part. However, Rawand continued to grow and develop until it became an officially recognised and running business creating and selling electronic accessories. The company creates branded electronic devices, such as a multi-purpose branded key chains that can be served as a micro-USB and a flexible safety device.
Yousuf Al Hadhrami, CEO of Rawand, admitted, “What I’ve learned through the Sharikati programme was the cornerstone for establishing a real company. This was by far the most challenging but also invaluable experience the competition had given us. The competition showed us and for any start-up company the necessary foundation and primary steps needed to create a company.”
This year Injaz Oman delivered the largest and most competitive Sharikati competition yet, with a total of 21 colleges and universities across the Sultanate, and over 700 students taking part.