Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition — 2nd
Funds Abu Dhabi startups with AED 1M+ in equity-free prizes and in-kind support through a sector-focused entrepreneurship competition.
⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.
The Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition (2nd Edition, 2026) is the primary prize program of the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED), Abu Dhabi's government-backed SME support institution. The competition awards over AED 1 million in total prizes distributed across five sector-category winners and three innovation award recipients, making it one of the largest non-dilutive startup prize pools available to Emirati entrepreneurs. Khalifa Fund takes zero equity in any participating startup; the competition is explicitly and contractually non-dilutive. Beyond cash, all 15 finalists receive a one-year membership to the MZN Hub, access to mentorship, and a place in a pre-pitch bootcamp.
Eligibility is tightly scoped. Applicants must be aged 18 or older, residing in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain, or Al Dhafra at the time of application, and at least one founder must hold UAE (Emirati) citizenship — fully expatriate-founded companies cannot apply. Startups must have a working MVP or prototype and a pitch deck ready, and must be able to commit to both the three-day June 2026 bootcamp and the final pitch event at the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award (SKEA) ceremony in July 2026. Sector alignment to Abu Dhabi's Falcon Economy diversification framework is required. Projects are evaluated on sectoral impact, market potential, team assessment, and technical feasibility.
The 2026 application window ran from April to May 2026 via Microsoft Forms, making this cycle closed for new applicants. Screening ran May–June 2026, the bootcamp took place in June 2026, and the final pitch at the SKEA Awards is scheduled for July 2026. The competition is governed by the laws of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and disputes fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi courts. Emirati-owned startups targeting Abu Dhabi economic diversification sectors should monitor the Khalifa Fund website for the 3rd edition announcement, expected in early 2027.
Emirati-owned startups aligned to Abu Dhabi's Falcon Economy diversification framework, spanning technology, manufacturing, sustainability, and other strategic sectors.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see how they score you
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up