Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development has officially launched its ‘Level Up’ project, helping entrepreneurs, SMEs and startups seize new opportunities that will stabilise, strengthen and scale up their businesses.
The tailor-made programme will focus on elevating priority sectors in Abu Dhabi, by accelerating the development of home-grown ventures, creating sector jobs and driving forward UAE’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
Providing the most effective tools and resources, the programme aims to equip up to 10 successful SMEs and startups with high-quality and specialist support. Complete with bespoke learning, networking events, group training and mentor sessions, participants will connect with industry specialists, potential investors, buyers and partners, to help reinvent their business model and take their worthy ideas to the next level.
Through ‘Level Up’, Khalifa Fund is enabling more small businesses to make bigger contributions towards post-pandemic economic revival, bridging the gap between early-stage entrepreneurs and more established companies and attract further investment. As a key enabler of the programme and in line with the UAE’s 2071 vision, Khalifa Fund is actively committed to help fulfil the nation’s needs.
As the world moves to a greener future, the Fund is guiding businesses in taking further steps towards climate action with practical advice and more sustainable growth strategies. The aim is to encourage them to curb emissions and become better positioned in adapting to environmental risks, thereby increasing their business resilience and competitiveness globally.
Mouza Al Nasri, Acting CEO of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said: “Entrepreneurs, SMEs and startups play a fundamental role in contributing to our economy. That is why we are positioning them at the heart of this programme designed to provide seamless access to new markets, technologies and expertise. The success of this project will help in strengthening the growth potential for post-COVID-19 recovery with the aim of turning Abu Dhabi and the UAE into a greater powerhouse of creativity and innovation.
“We are keen to have more small and medium-sized businesses joining us, as we aim to boost their forward-looking capacity, resilience and responsiveness, rebuilding from the pandemic in a way that bolsters competitiveness and helps empower them with more opportunities to go green amid the global climate change crisis.”
‘Level Up’ is scheduled to operate in consecutive stages, each lasting from two to four-and-a-half months according to specialised sectors, starting with agriculture. The general format will include two months of learning and mentorship, a forum and demo day, plus two meetup events. Other sectors to be covered include finance, ICT, health services, biopharma, Agricultural Technology (AgTech), tourism and real estate.
The first stage of the programme – ‘Reimaging the Future of Agriculture and Food’ – will run from 1 October to 6 December 2021.
Al Nasri added: “At the Khalifa Fund, we remain flexible and agile in providing the right support for small businesses amid changing circumstances and evolving needs of the marketplace. We remain proactive in readjusting our support processes to meet the evolution of challenges and opportunities. By driving prosperity, our work will help contribute to the nation’s stability, as well as increase the UAE’s influence globally.”
