At Sibos 2023, Abu Dhabi’s prominent institutions, including The Abu Dhabi Global Market Academy (ADGMA), Khalifa Fund, startAD, and Hub71, united to present a shared vision. This collaborative endeavor represented Abu Dhabi’s fintech and innovation ecosystem, demonstrating the Emirate’s position as a world leader in financial technology. Their collective objective was to highlight the opportunities available in Abu Dhabi and showcase its dynamic and cooperative investment environment to the global financial community.
Abu Dhabi’s leading entities participated in meaningful discussions focused on adapting investment strategies and fostering innovation, showcasing the Emirate’s dedication to spearheading the future of finance.
With its central theme of “Collaborative finance in a fragmented world,” Sibos 2023 acted as a guiding light for decision-makers, experts, and stakeholders in the realms of finance, technology, and beyond. Over the span of a week, around 10,000 professionals from financial institutions, market infrastructures, multinational corporations, and technology firms representing 160 countries came together to shape the future of payments, securities, cash management, and trade.
Moreover, this event provided a distinctive platform for these entities to interact with the global financial ecosystem. It served as a testament to their dedication in advancing Abu Dhabi’s standing as a flourishing International Financial Centre (IFC) and a prominent hub for a knowledge-based economy and innovation.
Fostering entrepreneurship
The Abu Dhabi Pavilion at Sibos was a testament to Abu Dhabi’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaboration within its vibrant financial ecosystem. It featured three innovative startups funded and sponsored by Abu Dhabi’s leading incubators and accelerators, including Khalifa Fund, startAD, and Hub71. These startups exemplified the dynamism and forward-thinking spirit of Abu Dhabi’s fintech landscape. They were featured with the support of the participating Abu Dhabi-based incubators and accelerators.
Read more: ADGM Academy Research Centre launches its Advisory Board
Transformative ideas
ADGMA’s participation at Sibos encompasses an initiative that revolves around the UAE Student Challenge, recently organised by ADGM Academy’s Research Centre in partnership with the Swift Institute and sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company. In this exceptional event, the UAE Student Challenge winning team graced the global stage at Sibos, where they presented their transformative ideas to the world, a testament to Abu Dhabi’s flourishing young talent in the research and innovation arena with a focus on how the financial sector can play a pivotal role in supporting the transition to a net-zero future.
Knowledge-based economy
Speaking about ADGMA’s involvement at Sibos, Mansoor Jaffar, CEO ADGM Academy & Research Centre: “ADGMA Academy is playing a strategic role in educating the international financial market about the thriving knowledge-based economy within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in alignment with our national priorities for human capital development. We are delighted to present our young local talents, showcasing their research solutions on sustainability, and to lead the Abu Dhabi Pavilion exhibit, reaffirming Abu Dhabi as a centre of excellence in entrepreneurship.”
Vibrant entrepreneurial hub
Alia Al Mazrouei, CEO of Khalifa Fund, stated: “We were truly honored to represent the Abu Dhabi Pavilion alongside our distinguished partners at SIBOS 2023. This esteemed global event provided a unique opportunity to engage with international stakeholders and gain invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of finance, the latest innovative technologies and solutions in the industry, and their impact on entrepreneurship. Through our representation, we were dedicated to showcasing Abu Dhabi as a vibrant entrepreneurial hub for SMEs from all sectors, including Fintech, where creativity, innovation, and sustainability converge to drive economic progress”.
Strategic opportunity
startAD managing director Ramesh Jagannathan commented: “Abu Dhabi presents a strategic opportunity for cutting-edge global startups to scale with its strategic geo-connected location, ambitious innovation agenda, strong government commitment, and robust economic landscape. Positioning this opportunity at the Abu Dhabi Pavilion at Sibos, alongside our esteemed partners was an impactful experience, where we engaged with more than 15 leading financial institutions and banks and over 50 startups, promoting Abu Dhabi as the fintech capital of the world.”
Favorable environment
Hashem Alkaabi, head of Corporate Services, Hub71, commented: “It was inspiring to join organizations at the forefront of Abu Dhabi’s financial and technology industries at Sibos to showcase the potential for entrepreneurs and disruptive companies to thrive from the UAE capital. We take pride in supporting the development and expansion of advanced FinTech capabilities by inviting startups worldwide to grow and scale in Abu Dhabi. By collaborating closely with our esteemed partners, we are creating a favorable environment that is enabling founders to make a significant impact on the FinTech industry.”
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