DUBAI, 24th September, 2026 (WAM) — The Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF), an initiative launched by the Ministry of Finance to support the UAE’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, announced a partnership with the Dubai Future District Fund (DFDF), aimed at expanding opportunities for high-growth-potential startups and strengthening connectivity across the UAE’s innovation ecosystem.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the partnership will operate through a two-way referral mechanism. MBRIF members will be screened for introductions to DFDF’s network of fund managers, giving eligible companies a potential route to institutional capital at their next stage of growth.
In parallel, DFDF portfolio companies will be referred to MBRIF, where eligible, to access relevant programmes, support instruments and federal support channels.
Introductions to DFDF or its fund manager network do not constitute an investment commitment by DFDF or any fund manager in its portfolio.
Introductions do not constitute an investment commitment by DFDF or by any fund manager in its portfolio.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the UAE’s startup and innovation ecosystem by improving access to the right networks, expertise and opportunities for high-potential businesses.
It also aligns with the broader ambitions of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and the We the UAE 2031 vision to advance competitiveness, innovation and sustainable economic growth.
Commenting on the announcement, Fatima Yousif Alnaqbi, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Support Services Sector at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry’s representative at MBRIF, said, “The UAE has built a strong foundation for innovation by bringing together government, industry, investors and entrepreneurs around a shared ambition for sustainable economic growth. This partnership reflects MBRIF’s role in strengthening those connections and supporting a more integrated national innovation ecosystem. Closer collaboration between federal and emirate-level institutions will help create an environment where innovative businesses can develop, scale and contribute to the UAE’s long-term economic priorities.”
Nader Albastaki, Managing Director of the Dubai Future District Fund, said, “Founders should not have to navigate federal and Dubai-level support separately. Through this partnership, MBRIF companies gain a route into our fund manager network and to investors who can back their next stage, and our portfolio gains access to MBRIF’s support instruments. Both sides get a shorter route to what they need.”
Source: Emirates News Agency