Entrepreneurs will descend on the capital tomorrow for the annual exhibition of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development.
Visitors to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre will be able to view 50 projects that have been helped by the fund this year.
“Through this exhibition, Khalifa Fund will motivate other entrepreneurs by displaying the incredible success stories from projects that we have financed, said Abdullah Saeed Al Darmaki, the chief executive of the Khalifa Fund.
“We will show how we have assisted the owners to overcome their obstacles, particularly at the start-up phase which is the most challenging,” he said in a Wam statement.
Start-up businesses were hit hard following the global financial crisis as banks cut back on lending. But government and private sector initiatives and the increased availability of start-up funds over the past year is helping more entrepreneurs to convert ideas into businesses.
The 50 projects on show were selected on the basis of the “quality and innovation shown in their operations”, the statement said. They include projects drawn from sectors that include industrial products, food and beverages, information and communication technology and service industries, among others.
The Khalifa Fund will also showcase social programmes such as the “Sougha” initiative, which aims to preserve the national heritage. Sougha encourages entrepreneurs to convert traditional crafts into a lucrative source of income for themselves and their families.
The rural economy is also targeted with another initiative aimed at encouraging farmers to adopt hydroponic methods to save water.
The annual event features a number of awards across a range of categories.
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