Idea HQ does not just talk about supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs — it goes out and finds them. In partnership with the University of Sharjah, RAG launched a Startup Challenge inviting final-year students to submit their most promising business ideas. The prize for the winner was not a trophy or a certificate. It was direct mentorship from Lee Cockerell himself. Ms. Sumaiya Sheikh stood out from the field. Her submission — a smart Halal verification app — addressed a genuine gap in a market of hundreds of millions of consumers. The application allows users to scan a product’s barcode, instantly pulling up nutritional information while verifying whether the product carries authentic Halal certification. In a region like the UAE or the broader GCC, where Halal compliance is not a preference but a requirement, the practical value of this tool is immediate and substantial. Sumaiya’s innovation was formally launched at the RAG Global Conclave 2025, unveiled by the Chief Guest — Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Indian politician, diplomat, and bestselling author. The occasion marked more than a product launch. It was a public demonstration of what Idea HQ is built to do: take a student with a sharp idea, give her the platform and mentorship to develop it, and present the result on a global stage.

This is the Idea HQ model in practice — not incubation as a concept, but incubation as a measurable outcome.