Khalifa Fund Announces Opening of 3rd ‘Pitch@Palace UAE’ Competition for UAE’s Innovative Entrepreneurs

The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) announced that registration has now opened for innovators and entrepreneurs running small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are keen to participate in the third edition of ‘Pitch@Palace UAE’.

Organized in partnership with the ‘Pitch@Palace Global’ launched by H.R.H Prince Andrew, Duke of York in the United Kingdom, the competition is a platform for entrepreneurs and innovators around the world where they can showcase their projects to investors and business leaders of major companies to win support and grow their SMEs.

In line with its efforts to become the global capital of innovation, Abu Dhabi is hosting the third edition of the competition in the UAE, in line with Khalifa Fund’s mission to promote an innovation culture and support the next generation in developing their talents and creativity, as well as help them develop and grow their businesses in the country. Registration for the competition is open to UAE national entrepreneurs, developers of innovative ideas, and small and medium-sized innovative projects, and must be submitted until July 31, 2019.

This year's edition is being held following the unprecedented success of last year’s event where UAE winners were honored in the presence of Prince Andrew at the St. James Palace in London, together with all the other winners of the same competition held around the world.

Mouza Al Nasri, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Khalifa Fund, highlighted the huge significance of the competition in creating a new generation of Emirati entrepreneurs, as well as in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation and boosting SMEs, and underscored that this event is made possible in the country through the generous support of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and under the guidance of  H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, through comprehensive national strategies and policies. He further noted that Abu Dhabi and the UAE at large promote ways to create an ideal environment for entrepreneurs in various fields, by facilitating business processes and encouraging creativity and innovation, in line with the national efforts to build a highly-diversified and knowledge-based economy.

Al Nasri added: "Since 2007, Khalifa Fund has been implementing initiatives to achieve its goals of supporting entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi and the country in general, providing guidance and support to entrepreneurs. We look forward to the success of the third edition of the competition, which is testament to our commitment to establish entrepreneurship as one of the pillars of the UAE economy and support our human resources in their efforts to create and innovate.”

The competition is open to every Emirati inventor or a team of entrepreneurs with a minimum of one UAE national as member to be able to register and participate in the competition and submit their creative and innovative projects. The third edition of ‘Pitch@Palace UAE’ aims to give Emirati entrepreneurs the chance to showcase their ideas and projects to leading investors and business personalities.

This year's competition focuses on the theme ‘Technology Serving Humans’, highlighting the importance of science and technology. Competitors are encouraged to explore the potentials of technology such as information and communications technology, robotics, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, in providing solutions to people’s daily lives.

The closing ceremony of the third edition of the ‘Pitch@Palace UAE’ competition will be held on October 9, 2019. To register or see more information, visit http://pitchatpalaceuae.com.