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Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition

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.

Opens 2027Khalifa Fund for Enterprise DevelopmentUnited Arab EmiratesDeep-tech · adjacent

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

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About

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 …

What this grant funds

Emirati-owned startups aligned to Abu Dhabi's Falcon Economy diversification framework, spanning technology, manufacturing, sustainability, and other strategic sectors.

Key facts
CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Annual
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.—
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.—
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.—
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Prize
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.0%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.AED 1M
Funding analytics

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Industries

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Eligibility criteria

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Application process

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What you have to submit

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How they score you

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Timeline

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Where founders trip up

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Last verified: 25 Jun 2026Source: www.khalifafund.ae