Mohamed bin Rashid Innovation Fund and National Sukuk Sign MoU to Strengthen Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship
Mohamed bin Rashid Innovation Fund and National Sukuk sign a memorandum to bolster financial literacy, entrepreneurship education and youth capacity building across UAE.
The Mohamed bin Rashid Innovation Fund has signed a memorandum of understanding with National Sukuk to create a joint programme aimed at strengthening financial literacy and entrepreneurship among young people across the UAE. This partnership will combine the fund’s entrepreneurship support with National Sukuk’s financial expertise to deliver workshops, educational content and capacity‑building initiatives. Officials said the collaboration is designed to prepare founders and students with practical financial skills needed to launch and scale resilient businesses.
Deal aims to integrate financial literacy with entrepreneurship support
The MoU commits both organisations to coordinate activities that embed financial awareness into entrepreneurship programmes for innovators and startups. Under the agreement, National Sukuk will deliver a series of interactive workshops and sessions tailored for members of the Mohamed bin Rashid Innovation Fund and related stakeholders. The fund will reciprocate by providing specialised entrepreneurship content, awareness sessions and showcases of founder success stories to inspire and guide aspiring entrepreneurs.
Scope of training and knowledge exchange outlined
Planned activities include structured workshops on financial concepts, hands‑on sessions for founders, and regular knowledge exchanges to align innovation support with market realities. The educational material will focus on practical skills such as financial planning, capital structuring and sustainable growth strategies relevant to early‑stage companies. Programme designers emphasise applied learning and mentorship to ensure participants can translate financial literacy into viable business decisions.
Officials highlight strategic goals and national alignment
Fatima Youssef Alnaqbi, the acting assistant undersecretary for support services and the Ministry’s representative at the Mohamed bin Rashid Innovation Fund, said the partnership supports the UAE’s shift toward a knowledge economy. She stressed that integrating financial resilience into entrepreneurship programming will help founders build companies capable of adapting and scaling in a competitive future. National Sukuk’s deputy CEO, Rehab Lutaah, described the collaboration as a fusion of entrepreneurial thinking and financial awareness to nurture a new generation of innovators and finance‑savvy business leaders.
Expected benefits for youth and startup ecosystem
Organisers expect the joint initiatives to expand access to financial know‑how for young Emiratis and residents who aspire to lead startups or join innovative firms. By combining storytelling from successful founders with technical financial training, the programme seeks to lower common barriers to entrepreneurship such as inadequate financial planning and limited access to capital knowledge. Stakeholders anticipate that improved financial literacy will increase startups’ survival rates and contribute to a more resilient private sector.
Implementation plan and institutional roles
Under the agreement, National Sukuk will host and facilitate the financial workshops while the Mohamed bin Rashid Innovation Fund will curate entrepreneurship modules and identify candidate participants from its portfolio. Both parties will coordinate calendars, share curriculum resources and monitor learning outcomes to measure impact. The fund also plans to use the partnership to amplify mentorship opportunities and to integrate select training modules into existing accelerator and grant‑making programmes.
Measuring success and next steps for scaling initiatives
The partners said they will track participation rates, post‑training business metrics and feedback from founders to evaluate effectiveness and refine content. Success indicators will include improvements in participants’ financial planning capabilities, stronger investor readiness and demonstrable progress in startup growth trajectories. If initial pilots meet targets, the scheme may be expanded to reach wider youth audiences and to incorporate additional public and private sector collaborators.
The memorandum reflects a broader national push to align innovation policy with financial sector expertise, aiming to position the UAE as a global hub for both entrepreneurship and sustainable finance. The collaboration is expected to produce a pipeline of founders who combine creative solutions with disciplined financial management, strengthening the country’s long‑term economic prospects.