Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund and ADGM’s Nomo Partner to Expand Startup Financing Across the UAE
Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund signs partnership with ADGM’s Nomo to broaden financing, offer workshops and mutual nominations for UAE startups.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund has signed a strategic partnership with ADGM’s Nomo platform to widen financing channels for innovative companies supported by the fund. The agreement aims to link eligible startups with Nomo’s digital marketplace while providing workshops and community sessions to strengthen founders’ financial know‑how. This collaboration is intended to help early‑stage and scaling firms access capital and make more informed funding decisions that support sustainable growth.
Fund and ADGM sign partnership to boost startup financing
The formal agreement commits both parties to a joint effort to expand funding access for UAE startups backed by the fund. It establishes operational linkages enabling portfolio companies to present funding opportunities to investors through Nomo’s market. The partnership also includes cooperative activities to direct eligible firms to the most relevant financing products based on their maturity and needs.
Nomo marketplace to widen funding options for supported companies
Under the pact, companies supported by the Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund will gain access to a broader set of financing instruments listed on Nomo’s digital platform. This access is designed to increase deal flow visibility and connect startups with institutional and private capital providers active in ADGM’s ecosystem. The move is expected to reduce frictions in capital raising by providing a centralized channel for matching investor interest with vetted innovation‑driven ventures.
Mutual nomination system links startups to targeted programmes
A reciprocal nomination mechanism will allow both the fund and Nomo to refer qualifying startups into tailored programmes and services. Startups can be steered toward the fund’s guarantee programme or its innovation accelerator where appropriate, while Nomo will identify candidates that suit marketplace investors. The coordinated pathway aims to place each company in the financing stream best suited to its development stage and capital requirements.
Workshops to raise financial awareness for founders
The partnership includes a curriculum of workshops and community sessions focused on financial literacy and practical fundraising guidance. These sessions will cover topics such as preparing investor materials, understanding financing terms, and aligning growth plans with capital structure. By equipping founders with applied tools and data‑driven insights, organisers expect to shorten time‑to‑decision and improve the quality of investor negotiations.
Fund and Nomo leaders outline strategic goals
Representatives of both organisations described the agreement as part of a broader effort to strengthen the UAE’s innovation ecosystem. Fatima Yousif Al Naqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services at the Ministry of Finance and the ministry’s representative on the Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund, said the partnership reinforces financing pathways for innovators. Mohammed Al Binali, Director General of Nomo, highlighted the platform’s focus on linking capital to tangible economic activity and using data to enhance transparency and decision making.
Partnership expected to accelerate scale‑ups across the UAE
Officials involved project that expanded access to Nomo’s marketplace, combined with the fund’s programmes, will support the scaling ambitions of small and medium enterprises and technology‑led startups. The integration is intended to bolster resilience and diversification in the national economy by enabling firms to secure timely capital for expansion. Stakeholders expect the collaboration to increase the number of fund‑backed companies successfully progressing through follow‑on financing rounds.
The agreement formalises operational cooperation and sets out a joint workplan to roll out platform access, nomination procedures, and the initial series of educational workshops. Implementation timelines will determine when individual portfolio companies can first use the marketplace and when the earliest cohort of workshops will begin.
This partnership represents an incremental but practical step to bridge funding gaps for UAE innovators, matching a state‑backed innovation fund’s pipeline with a regulated marketplace designed to mobilise capital. The combined approach seeks to reduce funding friction, improve founder preparedness, and channel investment into companies that can contribute to the country’s knowledge‑based economic objectives.