About
Over the last 15 years, Dubai International Financial Centre has created an ecosystem like no other in the region. It’s big, it’s diverse and it’s built on credibility – the 23,000-strong workforce from across more than 2,000 companies is proof of that. It also happens to be one of the world’s most forward-thinking financial hubs.
The Centre has focused its efforts on laying the building blocks of an enabling FinTech environment by launching the first regional financial technology accelerator, introducing tailored and competitively priced licensing regimes, providing fit-for-purpose regulation and offering a collaborative workspace.
The DIFC FinTech Fund is the next piece of the puzzle. The USD 100 million fund will help promising start-ups raise growth capital, while also supporting their outreach and connections within the wider financial services industry.
What can the DIFC FinTech Fund do for you?
Capital
Access to investment from private and public funds
Ecosystem
An enabling legal and regulatory framework
Talent
Leading thinkers and innovators under one roof
Outreach
A vast network of potential partners and investors
Workspace
A flexible and collaborative environment
Eligibility
We would love to hear from all the dynamic entrepreneurs with big ideas out there. We just have three key questions for you before you apply and hope you can answer ‘yes’ to all of them.
1
Are you at the growth stage of your company life cycle?
2
Do you intend to or currently have a presence in the MEASA region?
3
Are you a tech firm with relevance to the financial services industry?
Access to capital is fundamental to the growth of any company, and especially so when it comes to growth stage start-ups. The aim of the DIFC FinTech Fund is to bridge the funding gap in the region, whilst allowing selected firms to benefit from the broader FinTech ecosystem available in the Centre.
Arif Amiri
Chief Executive Officer, DIFC Authority
FAQ
What is the Fund trying to achieve?
The DIFC FinTech Fund was set up to provide capital to select growth stage start-ups that have a product or solution that will positively and significantly impact the financial services sector in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. In addition to bridging the existing funding gap that currently exists, we are looking to increase deal flow while stimulating innovation and investment in the region. Ultimately, we are enabling financial inclusion in these high-potential yet highly underserved emerging markets.
What is the ideal submission that the DIFC FinTech Fund is looking for?
We are calling on innovative growth stage start-ups and entrepreneurs who have a true passion for that they do, have a tested product or solution that has experienced success in other markets, and are now looking to scale their business. It's as simple as that.
If this is your story and you think you can benefit from, then we look forward to receiving your application.
How can the DIFC benefit me as a partner?
As the pre-eminent financial centre in the region, DIFC has built one of the most renowned ecosystems – including a world-class English Common Law framework and an internationally-recognised regulatory infrastructure – in 15 short years. This ability to consistently deliver on a vision of growth and development is what has attracted more than 2,000 leading regional and international players in the financial world to set up in the DIFC.
As part of the DIFC community, you will benefit from access to capital, guidance on navigating the MEASA markets and introductions to a large cluster of potential partners and investors.
Are there any specific verticals that the DIFC FinTech Fund is looking to invest in?
As a priority, we are seeking out cutting-edge FinTech solutions – this could include InsurTech, Islamic FinTech, or RegTech concepts. Having said that, if you have a broader technology that can be applied to financial services sectors, such as Wealth & Asset Management, Banking or Insurance, then we would still like to hear from you.
I’ve just submitted my application – what are the next steps?
Thanks for submitting your application!
The DIFC team will review and assess whether your product or solution is financially viable, feasibility in terms of our legal and regulatory framework, and relevance to potential partners and investors within the DIFC ecosystem. Based on this, we will be in touch to take the discussion forward for further due diligence and an audit assessment.