The Khalifa Fund for Economic Development (KFED) has announced an innovative partnership with noon.com – an ecosystem of services and products for the Arab world and the largest GCC e-commerce company. The partnership aims to enhance mutual cooperation through the implementation of a three-tiered initiative, including preferential rates at noon.com; the ‘noon Mahali’ initiative supporting Emirati micro-businesses; and optimised positioning for local food producers on noon.com’s dedicated grocery platform, noon Daily.
The strategic new partnership is part of e-Empower, the Khalifa Fund initiative launched last month under the ‘Abu Dhabi Inspires’ programme to support Abu Dhabi SMEs, and is in line with the UAE’s national objectives to enhance food security.
H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and Chairman, KFED, explained that the new partnership helps deliver on the goals of the ‘Abu Dhabi Inspires’ programme, which was launched by the Abu Dhabi Government to drive forward agile, innovative thinking within the government and the community, and to encourage ideas that have a positive impact on people now and into the future.
H.E. Al Shorafa added: “Khalifa Fund is delighted to bring noon.com onboard as the latest partner of the e-Empower initiative. We continue to be dedicated towards collaborating with leading organisations who provide an abundance of knowledge and resources to Abu Dhabi’s SME sector; which is an economically imperative sector that contributes substantially to the Emirate’s non-oil revenues.”
H.E. further stated that the partnership aims to inspire innovation, encourage entrepreneurship and accelerate the digital transformation of Abu Dhabi SMEs by unlocking new sectors and digitally empowering owned and operated businesses in the UAE, including Emirati micro-businesses and local food producers.
H.E. Al Shorafa pointed out that this step falls in line with the KFED’s efforts to establish alliances with leading brands, locally and internationally, to support SMEs in Abu Dhabi and enable them to enhance their contribution to the Emirate’s gross domestic product (GDP). He shared that the partnership complements the overall efforts of the e-Empower initiative and also adds new exciting opportunities for the SME sector to utilize and expand their businesses
Mohamed Alabbar, Founder, noon, said: “noon’s partnership with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development is an important step in the safeguarding of our digital landscape for future generations. We must give our local SMEs, the ones who have been on the frontline, the best tools to thrive. E-empower companies will grow with noon, expanding their reach to millions of customers in the region.”
Alabbar added, “Through noon Daily we will ensure the safe delivery of fresh produce and non-perishable items from local farmers. We will support, champion, and believe in every E-empower company, providing the best tools to help their businesses rise, driving the digital economy and inspiring the next generation of local entrepreneurs.”
Through the collaborative partnership between Khalifa Fund and noon, SMEs will gain immediate access to noon’s millions of loyal customers, established and trusted local logistics and fulfillment network, and secure payment gateway. e-Empower businesses will also be eligible for unique benefits tailored and personalized to amplify their business.
All e-Empower companies that have been verified by both Khalifa Fund and noon will be eligible to sign-up to the platform via www.noon.com/kf-empower and access tailored online courses designed to guide sellers through the best practices of selling online, including how to optimize and amplify their offering to better reach audiences across the region. Participating entities will also receive seller support from a dedicated in-house team to help with the onboarding process, content creation, and offer advice on overall selling performance.
The noon Mahali program, an initiative committed to supporting local micro-entrepreneurs, will be made available to all qualified e-Empower companies. All Mahali sellers are guided and supported throughout their e-commerce journey by noon to become established sellers in the local market.
Noon’s dedicated grocery platform, noon Daily, will partner with Khalifa Fund to empower local farms; helping them sell their produce online and enabling safe and secure delivery to customers across the UAE. Local farms will have a dedicated space on noon Daily for customers to shop their produce seamlessly and help drive sales online.
Established in June 2007, the KFED aims to develop local enterprises in Abu Dhabi by instilling and enriching the culture of investment amongst UAE nationals, as well as supporting and developing small to medium-sized investments in the emirate. noon is committed to providing local entrepreneurs and SMEs based in Abu Dhabi with targeted support and tools to expand their businesses across the region.
