Emirates Development Bank has launched the Emirates Growth Fund (EGF), a AED 1 billion growth equity platform aimed at supporting the expansion and competitiveness of SMEs based in the UAE.
The fund was introduced during the fourth edition of the Make it in the Emirates Forum.
It is designed to provide long-term capital and strategic support to high-potential businesses operating in sectors such as manufacturing, food security, healthcare, and advanced technology.
The initiative forms part of the country’s broader Operation 300bn strategy, which seeks to increase the contribution of the industrial sector to AED 300 billion by 2031.
The Emirates Growth Fund is intended for UAE-based SMEs with annual revenues starting at AED 10 million. Individual investments will range between AED 10 million and AED 50 million.
The fund is focused on companies that have moved beyond the early funding stage but require flexible and sustained support to scale.
It will take minority equity positions and work closely with businesses to strengthen governance, improve operations, and support long-term growth, while allowing founders to maintain control.
The aim is to help build companies that contribute meaningfully to national economic development.
The fund is chaired by Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, with Najla Ahmed Al Midfa serving as vice chair and managing director.
Board members include Mariam Saeed Ghobash, Mohammed Huraimel Al Shamsi, Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Hassan AlSayegh, and Stephen Welton.
Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and chairman of Emirates Development Bank, said the fund reflects the UAE’s goal of enhancing its industrial sector and strengthening its position as a global investment destination for industry and technology.
He stated:
“The launch of the Emirates Growth Fund is a bold, future-focused step that provides UAE-based growth-stage companies with the capital, expertise, and strategic support needed to scale and lead in the industrial sector. It supports the advancement of priority sectors, enhances industrial competitiveness, and strengthens supply chain resilience and national self-sufficiency.”
Commenting on the fund’s structure, Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi said:
“EGF is designed to address the critical ‘missing middle’ in SME funding. These are companies that are too advanced for venture capital, too entrepreneurial for traditional private equity, but too important to ignore. Our goal is to partner with scalable businesses that drive industrial capacity, create jobs, and deliver lasting economic value.”
The fund will focus on active minority investments, offering strategic input on governance, operational improvement, and institutional growth.
The aim is to strengthen the UAE’s industrial capabilities, enhance local supply chains, and contribute to skilled job creation.
EGF has already made its first investment in the healthcare sector, partnering with Tarmeem Healthcare Holding.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by wirestock via Freepik
