Khalifa Fund launches the “Instant Submission of Funding Request” initiative

The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development launched the “Instant Submission of Funding Application” initiative, which constitutes an innovative platform to facilitate entrepreneurs’ access to financing directly during the event by conducting an immediate assessment of eligibility, and allocating a work team to provide consultations, evaluate the fulfillment of requirements and documents, and assist in completing them.

The initiative targets citizen entrepreneurs between the ages of 21 and 60, who own existing projects and are in the process of growth and expansion in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and within priority sectors, such as health, education, agriculture, information technology, tourism, and industry.

This came during the Fund’s participation in the “Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival,” which is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Zayed bin Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during the period from April 20 to 22 at the Abu Dhabi Energy Center, under the slogan “Your influence is the pulse of our economy.” This is within the framework of the Fund’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurship in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, developing the small and medium enterprise system, enhancing the competitiveness of Emirati entrepreneurs, and providing them with opportunities for direct communication with investors and decision makers.

During the event, it was announced the launch of the “Young Emirates Merchants” competition under the patronage of Sheikha Rawda bint Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and in cooperation with the Khalifa Fund, in a step aimed at providing children and youth from 6 to 18 years of age with basic entrepreneurial skills, and introducing them to future innovation fields such as artificial intelligence and clean energy, in addition to spreading early financial culture in cooperation with banks and financial institutions.

Khalifa Al Kuwaiti, Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship Sector at the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, participated, within the framework of the festival’s activities, in a discussion session entitled “Building Abu Dhabi as a Global Platform for Founders,” which discussed Abu Dhabi’s position within the global economic system for entrepreneurs, and the role of integration between government policies, the flow of capital, and supporting institutions in enabling the growth of startup companies.

During the session, Al-Kuwaiti presented the Fund’s vision on the requirements for effective institutional empowerment of entrepreneurs, the challenges facing projects in the early stages of growth and expansion, and mechanisms for achieving a balance between providing financing and ensuring the commercial sustainability of projects.

During the festival, the Fund presents an integrated program of specialized workshops, including “From Idea to First Return,” “Financial Strategy and Pricing with Confidence,” and “Strategic Customer Discovery,” which focus in their entirety on developing basic entrepreneurial skills and linking the knowledge aspect to practical application, in a way that supports entrepreneurs in the stages of establishing and developing their projects and ensuring their alignment with actual market requirements.

In the same context, the Fund signed a memorandum of understanding with the Abu Dhabi Youth Business Council, which aims to establish strategic cooperation and enhance integration within the entrepreneurship system in the emirate, and empower young people by involving them in economic events and forums, linking them to financing and investment opportunities, in addition to expanding their access to finance and markets.

The memorandum was signed by Khalifa Al Kuwaiti, Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship Sector at the Fund, and Mansour Al Sayegh, Chairman of the Council.

This participation reflects the growing impact of Khalifa Fund programs in supporting small and medium enterprises. The Fund succeeded in supporting more than 1,200 projects and providing financing exceeding 1.8 billion dirhams, enhancing the role of these projects in leading economic diversification and consolidating Abu Dhabi’s position as a global center for entrepreneurship and innovation.