How Shams is building a global community for media, creativity and entrepreneurship

More than 23,000 active companies now call Sharjah Media City (Shams) home. But Shams’ growth story isn't simply about how many businesses have started there. More importantly, it is about how many choose to stay. Between 2022 and 2025, license renewals at Shams rose 81.6%, from 6,727 to 12,215 in three years. The increase marks an important shift in Shams's story. Rather than measuring success only by how many companies enter its ecosystem, Shams is increasingly focused on what enables those bu