Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development launches MZN Markets to accelerate Emirati startups’ growth

Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) has launched MZN Markets, an integrated model designed to accelerate the growth and market readiness of Emirati startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Abu Dhabi’s retail sector.

MZN Markets launches its first location at Ether Yas Mall, with plans to expand to additional retail destinations across Abu Dhabi. Launched at a time of rapid transformation in the retail sector, MZN Markets addresses the growing challenges startups face in transforming ideas into commercially ready businesses.

MZN Markets introduces a new model that extends beyond the basic concept of a retail space, providing an integrated ecosystem where Emirati startups and SMEs can test ideas, build brands, and strengthen their commercial readiness. The initiative also enables participating businesses to engage directly with consumers, gain valuable market insights, refine their offerings, and support long-term business growth.

The dedicated retail space within Ether provides emerging Emirati brands with a platform to showcase their products in a vibrant retail environment while gaining hands-on retail experience and direct access to customers at one of Abu Dhabi’s leading shopping destinations.

The initiative aims to empower more than 100 startups and SMEs, offering a structured ecosystem that combines retail exposure with capacity building. Entrepreneurs benefit from a range of services, including launch spaces, pop-up markets, and networking opportunities with retail developers, alongside targeted training and mentorship programmes covering sales, financial planning, marketing, and customer experience.

Her Excellency Mouza Obaid Al Nasri, CEO of Khalifa Fund, said: “The launch of MZN Markets at Ether Yas Mall marks an important step that reflects the continuous evolution of our support for Emirati enterprises. As part of our commitment to providing an integrated empowerment ecosystem, our role extends beyond financing to creating real commercial opportunities that enable entrepreneurs to test their products, develop their business models, and transform their ideas into businesses ready for growth and expansion. This initiative also strengthens Abu Dhabi’s retail sector by helping transform early-stage ventures into commercially viable enterprises that contribute to economic diversification and sustainable growth.”

The launch of MZN Markets’ first location comes as part of the partnership agreement between the Khalifa Fund and Ether, which aims to provide a supportive business environment enabling entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and expand their brands at Yas Mall and across Abu Dhabi.

MZN Markets also provides local brands with access to diverse retail spaces, from temporary pop-up shops to permanent units at Yas Mall, while offering capacity-building opportunities, enhancing commercial readiness, and facilitating connections with leading retail developers to create new opportunities for Emirati enterprises.

For Ether, this partnership helps redefine the concept of retail spaces at Yas Mall as supportive environments that enable entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, rather than simply serving as commercial spaces.

Lachlan James Gray Buchanan, CEO of Ether, said: “Our collaboration with Khalifa Fund goes beyond providing spaces. Together, we are creating an environment that empowers the next generation of entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and build their brands in a prime location.”