Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa Fund aims to encourage entrepreneurship. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa Fund aims to encourage entrepreneurship. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Khalifa Fund reveals strategic sectors for development



The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development is targeting five strategic sectors in 2018: leisure and entertainment; services, professional, scientific and technical; and Information and Communications Technology; as well as support services - according to the UAE state news agency WAM.

There are around 209 projects in Abu Dhabi and the northern regions that are part of the fund’s targeted sectors, according to the fund.

The fund aims to train a new generation of entrepreneurs and promote the culture of entrepreneurship among UAE nationals, as well as to support innovative projects.

One such initiative, Ibtikari, or My Innovation as the programme is called, is a partnership between the Khalifa Fund and the entrepreneurship platform startAD, The National reported this month. The incubator – which launches on September 30 – will be based at the New York University Abu Dhabi and is open to start-ups with at least one local partner.

"The technology sector is one of the most promising investment sectors despite the high competition from global companies," said Abdullah Al Darmaki, chief executive of Khalifa Fund, said at the time. "The fund will provide all the possible support to ensure the success of all Ibtikari start-ups that meet the financial requirements and conditions of the Khalifa Fund."

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Read more:

Abu Dhabi's development fund invested Dh1.4bn in 11 projects in developing countries last year

Bahrain launches $1bn fund to invest in new shale reserves

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Mr Al Darmaki told WAM on Tuesday that the organisation aims this year to support national entrepreneurs and SMEs operating in vital sectors, which is in line with its commitment to promote and reinforce the culture of entrepreneurship among UAE nationals and support them in creating SMEs.

He added that the fund aims to promote the role of incubators that create innovative ideas, which lead to the launch of beneficial projects that support the country’s social and economic development.

The fund is also focusing on major sectors that are key drivers of economic growth and reinforce the culture of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation among the youth, most notably agriculture, fishing, industry, food and retail.

The fund has financially supported 223 agriculture and fishing projects in Abu Dhabi and northern regions, as well as 190 industrial projects, in line with the government’s plan to increase the contribution of the industrial sector to 25 percent of GDP by 2030. It has also supported 133 successful projects in the food sector, WAM reported.

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

yallacompare profile

Date of launch: 2014

Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer

Based: Media City, Dubai 

Sector: Financial services

Size: 120 employees

Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)

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%3Cp%3EFly%20with%20Etihad%20Airways%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20New%20York%E2%80%99s%20JFK.%20There's%2011%20flights%20a%20week%20and%20economy%20fares%20start%20at%20around%20Dh5%2C000.%3Cbr%3EStay%20at%20The%20Mark%20Hotel%20on%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Upper%20East%20Side.%20Overnight%20stays%20start%20from%20%241395%20per%20night.%3Cbr%3EVisit%20NYC%20Go%2C%20the%20official%20destination%20resource%20for%20New%20York%20City%20for%20all%20the%20latest%20events%2C%20activites%20and%20openings.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
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World Test Championship table

1 India 71 per cent

2 New Zealand 70 per cent

3 Australia 69.2 per cent

4 England 64.1 per cent

5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent

6 West Indies 33.3 per cent

7 South Africa 30 per cent

8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent

9 Bangladesh 0

'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

Company profile

Company: Verity

Date started: May 2021

Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif

Based: Dubai

Sector: FinTech

Size: four team members

Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000

Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

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UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

Messi at the Copa America

2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final

2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals

2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final

2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final


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