- What
- Interest-free loans up to AED 1M; bank-guaranteed loans above AED 1M up to AED 3M.
- Who
- Dubai-based projects 100% owned and managed by UAE nationals.
- From abroad
- Nationals or residents of the UAE — 100% UAE-national ownership and management; The project should be based in Dubai.; Applicant should be +21 years old.; Minimum 20% financial contribution by the applicant All programmes open to founders from abroad →
Checked · October 2026 · thefund.ae · How we check ↗
See Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME (The Fund) on the map next to the other 96 programmes in the UAE — and filter the whole Gulf by type, deadline and equity.
Open the map →In detail
Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME (The Fund) is a loan fund — interest-free and bank-guaranteed loans in the UAE. Dubai fund that finances innovative small and medium projects of Emirati investors: interest-free loans of up to AED 1 million, and credit loans of more than AED 1 million up to AED 3 million through a bank guarantee from Dubai SME's partner banks and financial institutions. Grace period of up to 24 months and five years to repay; funding consultation on the business plan and cash flow.
- Amount
- Interest-free loans up to AED 1M · bank-guaranteed credit loans above AED 1M up to AED 3M
- Terms
- No equity — loans; grace period up to 24 months, 5-year repayment
- Eligibility
- 100% owned and managed by UAE nationals; project based in Dubai; applicant aged 21+
- Sectors
- All sectors, with listed exclusions
- Benefits
- Funding consultation — review of financial study, cash flow and business plan
- Status
- Open — rolling online application (checked October 2026)
Is this for you?
Where is your company?
Are you open to giving equity?
We match them against what Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME (The Fund) publishes.
A guide to the published criteria, not a decision — the programme selects.
What the source says
“Projects/businesses should be 100% owned and managed by UAE national(s).”
“Provision of interest-free financial loans, so that the amount of financing does not exceed one million United Arab Emirates dirhams.”
“Entrepreneurs can obtain high-value credit loans a value of more than one million dirhams and not exceeding 3 million through bank guarantee from one of Dubai SME's banks & financial institution partners.”
“Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME aims to finance innovative pilot projects - both small and medium enterprises - for Emirati investors through dedicated efforts and devoted focus on studying the project and providing appropriate potentials for start-up and expansion.”
“As maximum, a grace period of 24 months may be granted for the funded-projects with 5 years as repayment and settlement period based on the Committee's recommendations.”
“Projects in all sectors are eligible for funding, except:”
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Compare loans & guarantees in the UAE
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME (The Fund)Interest-free loans up to AED 1M; bank-guaranteed loans above AED 1M up to AED 3M. | up to AED 3M | No equity | Open |
| Amplify Growth FundGrowth loans from $3M (average $10M) over 3–4 years, with a warrant component. | $10M | Loan with warrants | Active |
| Emirates Development Bank (EDB)Up to AED 2M per startup with no assets required, tenors up to 72 months. | not published | No equity | Active |
| Khalifa FundLoans; amounts not published, vary by programme. | not published | No equity | Active |
| MBRIFGovernment-backed bank-loan guarantees. | not published | No equity | Active |
| Stride VenturesVenture debt averaging $4M, repayable over 6 to 18 months. | $4M | Loan | Active |
| Partners for Growth (PFG)Growth debt; ticket size not published. | not published | Loan | Active |
| Ruwad — Sharjah Foundation to Support Pioneering EntrepreneursInterest-free loans up to AED 400,000; bank Murabaha financing up to AED 2M. | up to AED 2M | No equity | Active |
| Ruya PartnersPrivate credit deals of $15M to $25M. | $15M to $25M | Loan | Active |
| Tenami CapitalRevenue-based growth capital for founder-led tech companies, from DIFC Dubai. | not published | Capped return, bought back from revenue | Active |
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
More programmes that take no equity →
Questions founders ask
What does Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME (The Fund) offer?
Interest-free loans up to AED 1M; bank-guaranteed loans above AED 1M up to AED 3M.
Does Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME (The Fund) take equity?
No equity — interest-free loan.
Can founders from abroad apply?
Nationals or residents of the UAE — 100% UAE-national ownership and management; The project should be based in Dubai.; Applicant should be +21 years old.; Minimum 20% financial contribution by the applicant.
Is there a deadline?
No closing date is published; applications are open.
How do I apply?
Through its own application form — the Apply button on this page goes straight there.
Sources
Primary source · thefund.ae · Checked October 2026