Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development announced its 11th Abu Dhabi SME Tribe Meetup; a community experience that brings together the business community in Abu Dhabi through multiple meetings throughout the year.

Led by pioneering Emirati entrepreneurs in the industrial sector, this edition of the entrepreneurial gathering will feature a panel discussion titled “Emirati Industrial Pioneers: Navigating Economic Growth and Innovation” on 7th February 2024.

The meetup will also feature a distinguished expert speaker from the Emirates Development Bank with insights into the financing programmes it offers, and how it supports startups and early-stage Industrial businesses through its SME Financing & Industrial Incubation Programs.

Alia Abdulla Al Mazouei, CEO of Khalifa Fund, stated, “While selecting the SME Tribe meetups themes, Khalifa Fund is keen to cover SME’s development in all the priority sectors. The industrial sector is one of the most important components of the Emirati economy in the UAE and a significant contributor to the UAE GDP. Fostering entrepreneurship in the industrial domain not only contributes to economic prosperity but also plays a vital role in shaping the future landscape of innovation and sustainable development in the UAE.”

“Through an engaging panel discussion, we seek to highlight the immense opportunities the industrial sector has to offer while delving into its challenges and the strategies employed to overcome them. We aim to inspire innovative Emirati entrepreneurs to venture into the industrial sector by offering them the opportunity to learn more about it from established successful Emirati entrepreneurs who will be sharing their personal experiences, best practices, and technologies they’ve adopted to foster sustainable growth for their industrial businesses," she added.

The discussion panel is moderated by Rahma Ali, a certified Business Counsellor at Khalifa, and a Certified ISO Auditor with an MBA and an Executive Master’s in Big Data Analysis using Artificial Intelligence. The participating speaker panellists include: Ahmed Saeed Almazrouei, an inventor and entrepreneur, CEO and Founder of AM Industries; Jaber Hareb AlKhyeli, Founder of Glass Tech Factory; Ismael Mohamed AlNuaimi, Managing Director of High-End Engineering Mechanical Services; and Mohamed Rashed Al Nuaimi, CEO and Founder of Printing Talks Factory.

During the discussion, the panellists will focus on 4 pillars: Insights into different types of businesses in the industrial sector, including their significance, growth potential, and contributions to the economy; the common challenges faced in industrial businesses and effective innovative strategies to overcome them; the role of technology and innovation in revolutionising the industrial landscape and staying competitive; and the impact of government policies and support mechanisms on the growth and sustainability of this sector.

The 11th SME Tribe will enable the attending entrepreneurs to navigate the opportunities in the industrial sector and interact with the panellists during the Tribe Circles Session. It is a valuable platform for networking and engaging with like-minded entrepreneurs to exchange insights and visions, opening doors to future collaborations of mutual interests.