The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED), an independent agency of the Government of Abu Dhabi, has launched the Abu Dhabi SME Hub, a new media platform dedicated to supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE.
Today, there are more than 400,000 SMEs contributing over 60% of the UAE non-oil economy, and providing 86 percent of the private workforce. Furthermore, the UAE government's Vision 2021 projects SME participation in the non-oil economy to reach 70 percent this year.
The Abu Dhabi SME Hub will hence support SMEs of all stages, empowering them with the tools needed to navigate the local UAE ecosystem, as well as to grow, thrive, and innovate both in the context of best business practices and new technologies.
This will be achieved through engaging, multi-format content produced in English and Arabic and intended to educate and entertain entrepreneurs in a variety of topics including, but not limited to: innovation, fundraising, finance and cash management, product development, marketing, and organizational scaling.
The Hub will add value across four pillars, allowing entrepreneurs to:
- Explore relevant and informative news, interviews, opportunities, initiatives and regulations that shape the business environment in Abu Dhabi and the UAE;
- Learn best business practices through engaging multi-format educational content including videos, infographics, and more;
- Hack market-tested strategies and technologies through our partnerships with key market players;
- Connect with the wider business ecosystem, including governmental support entities, regulators, investors, mentors and peers.
Ultimately, the platform will consolidate the UAE startup and SME ecosystem by connecting entrepreneurs to different local and international stakeholders, whether regulators, investors, corporates, mentors, and peers.
H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, ADDED Chairman, said: "The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development is dedicated to supporting and developing SMEs, as part of the Emirates economic objectives for diversification and sustainability across various sectors, and the strengthening of SMEs contribution to the country's GDP."
H.E. continued: "To that goal, the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development presents the Abu Dhabi SME Hub, connecting all strategic initiatives via one integrated and up-to-date digital knowledge platform, and supporting the development of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem."
Mouza Obaid Al Nasri, Acting CEO of the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said: "We’ve seen tremendous growth in both the number of small and medium enterprises as well as the industries they represent; this has resulted in a greater contribution to the national economy of the UAE through these innovative and hardworking entrepreneurs.
"We’re honored to play an active role in the growth and development of this landscape, and will continue to provide valuable means of support for entrepreneurs."
Commissioned by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, the Abu Dhabi SME Hub aligns with the fund’s guiding mission to develop a prosperous and innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem in the UAE.
The platform relies on a consortium of stakeholders & partners to ensure its long-term value, and is managed by Mediaquest Business, in collaboration with design studio Imagine Labs.
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