Page 84 - KFED PR REPORT - APRIL 2026

4/22/26, 10:36 AM Khalifa Fund participates in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival and launches ‘Funding on the Spot’ initi…

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Additionally, the ‘Young Emirati Traders’ competition was announced under the patronage of Sheikha
Rawdha Bint Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in collaboration with 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, H.E. 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 discussed Abu Dhabi’s position within the global entrepreneurship economy and the role
of alignment between government policies, capital flows, and enabling institutions in supporting start-up
growth. During the session, he presented KFED’s perspective on effective institutional enablement 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. This includes ‘From Concept to First Revenue,’ ‘Financial Strategy and
Pricing Confidence,’ and ‘Strategic Customer Discovery’. These sessions are designed to bridge the gap
between theory and practical application, supporting both early-stage founders and scaling businesses,
while ensuring alignment with real market needs.

In addition, KFED and the Abu Dhabi Youth Business Council (ADYBC) signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU). H.E. Khalifa Al Kuwaiti, Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship Sector at
KFED, and Mansoor Al Sayegh, Chairman of ADYBC, signed the agreement, which aims to establish a
strategic cooperation to enhance Abu Dhabi’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. It seeks to empower young
entrepreneurs by facilitating participation in key economic events, connecting them with funding and

investment opportunities, and expanding their access to capital and new markets.

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

exceeding AED 1.8 billion, reinforcing SMEs’ role in driving economic diversification and positioning Abu
Dhabi as a global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.
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