• Growth of e-commerce and q-commerce in the region presents an opportunity for SME’s
  • talabat to enhance SME’s online presence and reach and provide them with subsidised fees and other special benefits

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with talabat UAE, the UAE’s leading online food delivery and q-commerce platform, to support Emirati small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Abu Dhabi. The MoU aims to provide a range of resources and support Emirati entrepreneurs through a yearly contract that grants them subsidised fees and special benefits, including a dedicated account manager for ongoing consultation and support as they start their online journey.

The collaboration will allow Khalifa Fund businesses in the food and beverage sector to display and sell food items on the talabat app, enabling them to expand their business by increasing their brand’s online visibility and reach. Entrepreneurs will also benefit from having direct access to the platform’s large and extensive customer database and logistics network.

HE Alia Al Mazrouei, CEO of Khalifa Fund stated: "We are thrilled to be partnering with talabat to support the growth and development of Emirati entrepreneurs and SMEs in Abu Dhabi. This MoU is a significant step towards achieving our vision of further enhancing Emirati entrepreneur’s capacity in the F&B sector, while continuing to foster a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in the UAE. We look forward to working with talabat to help these businesses succeed and thrive."

Her Excellency added: “The exponential growth of e-commerce and q-commerce in the region presents an opportunity for us to provide entrepreneurs in these sectors with beneficial tools and resources which will help them to be more efficient in a competitive market. This partnership represents and showcases Khalifa Fund’s commitment to identifying various ways in which to enhance our entrepreneurial ecosystem”

Tatiana Rahal, Managing Director at talabat UAE commented: “Having begun our journey as a startup in the region, supporting SMEs is inherent in the culture of talabat UAE. We believe in the immense value SMEs contribute to the sustainable economic development of the country, as well as their vital role in introducing innovative concepts to the market.”

She added: "We are proud to partner with Khalifa Fund to empower Emirati entrepreneurs in Abu Dhabi. This is part of our ongoing efforts to provide SMEs across the emirates with a platform to enhance their digital presence and reach, as well as extend our knowledge and expertise to help them flourish.  It is through such strategic collaborations with dedicated governmental entities that we are able to utilize our technology to support local talent.”

Through this partnership, talabat will develop a specialized programme to help entrepreneurs accelerate their digital footprint commerce and increase their visibility.

About Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development

Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development was established in 2007, by virtue of the Law 14 of 2005 and its amendments, in the implementation of the vision of the late Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Khalifa Fund works as an independent, not-for-profit economic development agency of the Government of Abu Dhabi for the development and support of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

The Fund helps to develop local enterprises in Abu Dhabi by instilling and enriching an investment culture amongst UAE nationals. The Fund also seeks to support and develop SMEs in the Emirate.

Khalifa Fund was founded in 2007 with a total capital of AED 300 million, which gradually increased in 2008 to AED 1 billion, in order to meet the growing demand for the Fund’s services. In 2011, the Fund’s total capital was increase to AED 2 billion, and the Fund covered all of the UAE through a network of branches.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Cameron Hurrion
KBS Strategies
cameron@kbsstrategies.com

About talabat

As the MENA region’s leading local tech platform, talabat’s vision is to deliver real everyday convenience, opportunities, and impact for the communities that we serve. Since launching in Kuwait in 2004, we have continuously innovated to create economic opportunities for vendors and riders whilst enabling customers to conveniently and reliably get their everyday meals, groceries, pharmaceuticals and more using the talabat app. Additionally, we have introduced new technologies and solutions, including Q-commerce concepts, Cloud Kitchens, and autonomous delivery robots and drones.

While delivering millions of orders across the eight countries we operate in, we prioritize bringing a positive impact to the communities that we serve. This means supporting the growth and future success of local businesses we partner with, and using our #Tech4good initiatives to facilitate millions in customer donations to those in need across the region through different partnerships and virtual charities on the app.