Emirates Growth Fund Named Exclusive Capital Partner for MIITE 2026
The Emirates Growth Fund (EGF) has been appointed Exclusive Growth Capital Partner for Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) 2026, the UAE’s flagship industrial forum set to take place from 4 to 7 May at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi.
The announcement highlights EGF’s expanding role in supporting the UAE’s industrial development agenda during its first year of operations. The fund was launched at MIITE 2025 and has since positioned itself as a growth capital platform focused on companies aligned with national industrial priorities.
Backed by Emirates Development Bank, EGF operates as the UAE’s growth equity institution. Its investment mandate spans manufacturing, food and agriculture, healthcare, and advanced technology, with a focus on UAE-based businesses that already have established operations and clear growth potential.
Support for Industrial and SME Growth
At MIITE 2026, EGF will use its platform to present new initiatives and partnerships linked to the UAE’s wider industrial strategy. According to the fund, the forum will serve as an opportunity to showcase its progress from setup to active deployment and to reinforce its role in connecting capital with industrial policy.
The fund has also emphasized its work within the SME ecosystem, where access to growth capital remains an important part of business expansion. EGF said it aims to support founders and companies that can contribute to the country’s industrial base over the long term.
Recent investments cited by the fund include CarniStore, a premium protein business, and Tarmeem, an orthopaedics and spine specialist hospital. These examples reflect EGF’s focus on sectors that align with its mandate to back businesses contributing to strategic national priorities.
Over the past year, EGF has worked with government entities, regulators, and industrial stakeholders as it built out its investment activity and operating framework. The fund said this collaboration is part of its broader effort to help scale local companies and strengthen the domestic industrial ecosystem.
CEO Commentary
Khalifa Al Hajeri, Chief Executive Officer of the Emirates Growth Fund, said the institution was created to deploy capital in line with national priorities and to support companies that are established in the UAE.
“EGF is the UAE’s growth equity investor, established to deploy capital in line with national priorities. We invest in companies that are established in the UAE and have the potential to contribute to the country’s industrial base. Our focus is on working with founders to support long-term value creation and business development,” Al Hajeri said.
Industry Analysis
EGF’s role at MIITE 2026 underscores the UAE’s continued focus on industrial diversification and domestic enterprise growth. By aligning growth capital with sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and advanced technology, the fund is helping channel investment toward businesses that fit within the country’s broader economic strategy.
The appointment also signals a growing emphasis on capital access for UAE-based firms that are already operational but require funding to scale. For the local SME and industrial landscape, this type of targeted equity support may help bridge financing gaps and accelerate expansion among companies with strategic relevance to the national economy.
