Khalifa Fund
“Can Abu Dhabi's government SME fund evolve into a full-stack entrepreneur enablement platform — combining direct lending, digital payments, and ecosystem partnerships — to become the financial backbone of Emirati entrepreneurship?”
Founded in 2007 as an Abu Dhabi government non-profit, Khalifa Fund has historically focused on direct lending (microfinance, small loans, expansion loans) to Emirati entrepreneurs. Over time it broadened its mandate to include mentorship, market access, and ecosystem development. More recently it has forged partnerships with private-sector fintechs such as Noon Payments to embed digital payment capabilities for SMEs, reflecting a shift toward facilitating embedded financial services rather than purely disbursing government loans.