Emirates Growth Fund and Dubai Industrial City enter strategic partnership to accelerate growth of manufacturing sector SMEs

• Strategic partnership to bolster the UAE’s industrial sector by enhancing the competitiveness of homegrown SMEs with tailored support from Emirates Growth Fund
• TECOM Group’s industrial district reaffirms contributions towards Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’ with strategic alliance

Emirates Growth Fund (EGF), the UAE’s flagship growth equity platform backed by Emirates Development Bank (EDB), has entered a strategic partnership with Dubai Industrial City, the region’s leading manufacturing and logistics hub and part of TECOM Group PJSC, to accelerate the growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE. The agreement will significantly bolster the national industrial sector and enhance the global competitiveness of homegrown SMEs by cultivating a dynamic environment for innovation and manufacturing.

The partnership agreement was signed in the presence of HE Najla Al Midfa, Vice Chair and MD at Emirates Growth Fund; and Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of TECOM Group. EGF’s Chief Executive Officer, Khalifa Al Hajeri, signed the agreement with Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group, reinforcing their shared commitment to fortifying the national economy by empowering enterprises with significant growth potential across vital sectors.

“This partnership marks a significant step in our mission to catalyze the growth of UAE-based industrial enterprises. By joining forces with Dubai Industrial City, we are strengthening the ecosystem for scale-stage SMEs, enabling them to innovate, expand, and contribute more meaningfully to the nation’s industrial transformation. Together, we are advancing the objectives of Operation 300bn and Make it in the Emirates, driving sustainable value creation and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a hub for industrial excellence,” said Khalifa Al Hajeri, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Growth Fund.

“Our partnership with Emirates Growth Fund demonstrates Dubai Industrial City’s enduring contributions to bolster the UAE’s and Dubai’s industrial landscape,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group, on behalf of Dubai Industrial City. “By combining our strengths, we are creating an unparalleled platform to nurture and empower SMEs in the UAE’s and Dubai’s industrial sector. Aligned with Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’, this partnership strengthens our commitment to enabling industrial excellence and contributing to our nation's vision for sustainable growth."

The agreement establishes a formal framework for cooperation between EGF and Dubai Industrial City for exploring and enabling initiatives to support manufacturing sector SMEs. The strategic alliance will focus on several critical areas of cooperation, including investments in high-potential SMEs, introductions to prospective clients, collaborative entrepreneurship programmes, and knowledge-exchange pathways.

As part of the agreement, EGF will also offer tailored support to SMEs based at Dubai Industrial City, ensuring alignment with its established guidelines and policies to foster sustainable and impactful growth.

EGF was launched at the fourth edition of Make it in the Emirates Forum with the aim of deploying capital and forging deep strategic partnership to high-potential businesses across priority sectors including manufacturing, food security, healthcare, and advanced technology. The fund targets UAE-based SMEs with proven traction, generating annual revenues of over AED 10 million. EGF is designed to unlock growth capital for SMEs that have outgrown early-stage funding and require long-term investment to unlock their full potential.

Established in 2004, Dubai Industrial City is a strategic engine driving the long-term transformation of the manufacturing and logistics sectors as the address of more than 1,100 customers and 350+ operational factories. Its intelligently designed masterplan features six dedicated zones for the base metals, machinery, minerals, food and beverage, transport, and chemicals sectors.

Located close to Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport and home to an Etihad Rail freight terminal, Dubai Industrial City empowers companies of all sizes by offering connectivity to regional and international markets for business growth.

Dubai Industrial City is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts that include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai Design District (d3), and Dubai Science Park.