The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) has announced new financial initiatives to support Emirati entrepreneurs in sectors critical to Abu Dhabi’s economic priorities. These initiatives are part of KFED’s ongoing efforts to provide medium and long-term loans for innovative business ventures. The new offerings fall under KFED’s Startup and Scale-up Funding Programme.
These programs are expected to contribute to developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across healthcare, education, agricultural technology, and information technology sectors. The Startup Funding Programme provides loans covering up to 80% of project establishment costs, with a repayment tenure of up to 84 months and a grace period of up to 24 months. This makes it versatile for new entrepreneurs.
New financial support for entrepreneurs
The Scale-up Funding Programme assists existing ventures, backing stable SMEs ready for expansion. It also covers up to 80% of the total expansion costs.
Mouza Obaid Al Nasri, Acting CEO of KFED, said, “We are committed to empowering entrepreneurship within the community and contributing to the establishment of a more diverse and sustainable economic model.
Through these packages, KFED aims to strengthen the national economy by enabling entrepreneurs to manage their financial commitments smoothly and contribute to job creation and sector diversification. In 2024, KFED introduced entrepreneurship training courses designed to offer financial backing and provide expertise and support for turning innovative ideas into successful projects. Over 5,600 participants attended these courses, and more than 600 individuals received group consulting sessions.
KFED’s ultimate goal is to create a vibrant, competitive, and innovative SME landscape that significantly contributes to Abu Dhabi’s GDP and economic future. These new financial initiatives are a step towards achieving that goal by supporting Emirati entrepreneurs in key sectors.
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