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Press Release

Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development’s ‘Future Entrepreneur
programme’ fosters entrepreneurial skills among youth aged 6-18

Abu Dhabi, 21 August 2025: The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED)
has successfully completed the first edition of its Future Entrepreneur programme,
aiming to foster entrepreneurial skills among youth aged 6 to 18 years. The key
objectives of the programme included fostering innovation, empowering young people
with financial management skills, and building a new generation of Emirati
entrepreneurs using tools for excellence in a practical environment under the guidance
of a committee of experts.

The Future Entrepreneur Programme attracted applications from more than 1,000
individuals, with 948 invited to take part in a training focused on financial literacy and
the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Following the training, participants joined an
interactive workshop aimed at identifying the most promising ideas. Out of the invited
applicants in the training, 134 youth were selected for a final three-day bootcamp.

During the bootcamp, participants developed their business ideas across three main
pathways. These included 25 projects involving 70 students in the food and beverage
sector, 16 projects with 33 students focusing on goods and merchandise, and 13 projects
featuring 30 students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
The 54 projects also participated in a marketplace where they had the chance to live a
real-world experience and sell their products and services to more than 350 attendees.
The programme concluded with a marketplace showcase, where participants presented
their products and services before a judging panel that evaluated each project based on
creativity and commercial viability.

Her Excellency Mouza Obaid Al Nasri, CEO of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise
Development, said: “The Future Entrepreneur programme is a key pillar in supporting
Abu Dhabi’s vision to promote entrepreneurship among young people. Our goal is to
establish a culture of innovation among youth and equip them to start ventures that
support the diversification and sustainability of the national economy. The
programme’s results demonstrate the strong enthusiasm of the younger generation to
turn their ideas into impactful projects, and also affirm the success of our approach,
which combines theoretical knowledge and practical application.”

The programme took place in Nabdh Al Falah Community Hub in Al Falah City,
offering participants an opportunity to register and select their preferred pathway under
the Inventor or Trader categories.

The training camp implemented a comprehensive framework for identifying promising
talent, using criteria such as innovation and problem-solving skills. Participants
received expert guidance across different phases of the programme. The camp
emphasised practical learning by allowing youth to apply their skills in real-world
scenarios such as operating food kiosks and marketing STEM-based products, giving