Page 86 - 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…
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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