Page 77 - KFED PR REPORT - APRIL 2026

4/22/26, 10:34 AM Khalifa Fund participates in inaugural Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival – The Gulf Gazette
As part of its participation, the Fund is launching the ‘Funding on the Spot’ initiative, an innovative
platform designed to facilitate entrepreneurs’ access to financing during the festival by enabling

immediate eligibility assessments and providing on-site advisory support, including assistance

with documentation and application processes.

The initiative targets Emirati business owners aged 21 to 60 operating in Abu Dhabi, particularly
those in growth and expansion phases across priority sectors such as healthcare, education,

agriculture, information technology, tourism and industry.

Additionally, the ‘Young Emirati Traders’ competition was announced under the patronage of

Sheikha Rawdha bint Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in collaboration with the Khalifa Fund. The
initiative targets youth aged 6 to 18, introducing them to entrepreneurship through hands-on

learning while building awareness of emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and clean
energy, alongside promoting financial literacy in partnership with banks and financial institutions.

As part of the festival programme, Khalifa Al Kuwaiti, Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship
Sector at KFED, participated in a panel discussion titled ‘Building Abu Dhabi as a Global Founder

Platform’, which explored Abu Dhabi’s position within the global entrepreneurship ecosystem and
the role of alignment between government policies, capital flows and enabling institutions in

supporting start-up growth.

During the session, he outlined KFED’s perspective on institutional support for entrepreneurs, the

challenges facing businesses in early growth and scaling stages, and mechanisms to balance
access to finance with long-term commercial sustainability.

In parallel, the Fund is delivering a series of specialised workshops aimed at strengthening
entrepreneurial capabilities, including ‘From Concept to First Revenue’, ‘Financial Strategy and

Pricing Confidence’ and ‘Strategic Customer Discovery’. These sessions aim to bridge the gap
between theory and practice, supporting both early-stage founders and scaling businesses while

aligning with market needs.

KFED and the Abu Dhabi Youth Business Council (ADYBC) also signed a memorandum of

understanding. Khalifa Al Kuwaiti and Mansoor Al Sayegh, Chairman of ADYBC, signed the
agreement, which aims to enhance Abu Dhabi’s entrepreneurship ecosystem by empowering

young entrepreneurs, facilitating participation in key economic events and expanding access to

funding opportunities and new markets.

KFED’s participation highlights the impact of its initiatives in supporting SME growth across the
Emirate. To date, the Fund has supported more than 1,200 projects and provided financing

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