The UAE’s startup ecosystem is rapidly expanding, with high-profile events and forums linking entrepreneurs to funding. Crescent Enterprises, a Sharjah-headquartered conglomerate and part of the Crescent Group (founded 1971) – has announced an AED 250 million (US$68 million) programme to scale CE‑Creates, its in-house venture-building platform. This fresh capital, combined with new leadership, is aimed at helping high-growth startups transform ideas into globally competitive businesses. As Crescent CEO Badr Jafar notes, CE‑Creates will enable entrepreneurs to “convert purpose into performance, locally proven, globally competitive,” underscoring the company’s focus on innovation.

Crescent Enterprises: Background and Strategy

Crescent Enterprises (CE) is the diversified corporate arm of the family-owned Crescent Group. Founded in 2007, it manages a global portfolio of 54 subsidiaries, affiliates and investments across 17 countries, employing over 1,700 people. Its operations span multiple sectors, including ports, logistics, energy, healthcare, food & beverage and business aviation organized under four platforms: CE-Operates, CE-Invests, CE-Ventures and CE-Creates. This breadth – from Gulftainer port terminals to private equity and venture funds – gives Crescent a strategic presence in the UAE/MENA economy. (Crescent’s sister company, Crescent Petroleum, is the region’s largest private upstream oil & gas firm.) By leveraging its deep industry networks and capital, Crescent Enterprises is well-positioned to drive innovation beyond its legacy businesses.

CE-Creates Venture Studio: How It Works

CE‑Creates is Crescent’s internal venture studio or startup incubator, dedicated to developing early-stage ideas into sustainable, profitable businesses. It is sector-agnostic and impact-focused: new ventures must be socially responsible and economically viable. The studio provides seed funding, dedicated teams, mentorship and operational support to entrepreneurs. In practice, CE‑Creates applies a stage-gated, milestone-driven approach: each concept is rigorously validated and developed in structured phases. Executives describe the model as deploying “patient capital” alongside hands-on expertise to turn concepts into globally competitive companies.

For example, CE‑Creates guides every project through four development stages:

1. Concept development – Define the product or service, assess market size and fit, and outline an initial business plan.

2. Business plan development – Conduct detailed market research, finalize product/service design, build financial models and a go-to-market roadmap.

3. Incubation – Assemble the management team, secure seed funding, develop a prototype or pilot, and handle legal and operational setup.

4. Growth – Arrange Series A–C financing, expand operations (e.g. franchising or partnerships), and scale the business beyond MVP.

This disciplined process helps reduce execution risk and improve product–market fit before major expansion.

AED 250M CE‑Creates Programme: Purpose and Deployment

The AED 250 million investment programme, announced on 17 October 2025, significantly expands CE‑Creates’ mandate. The goal is to extend the studio’s runway and infrastructure so it can incubate and scale more startups. Funds will be disbursed gradually as “patient capital,” tied to performance milestones. In practice, this means deeper operating resources (mentors, tech platforms, marketing support, etc.) will accompany each funding tranche. Crescent leadership says the new capital will expand the platform’s venture-building capacity, deepen operational infrastructure, and support more startups through its pipeline. In other words, CE‑Creates will get bigger teams and tools to nurture ideas all the way from proof-of-concept to launch.

Key features of the programme include:

• Scale funding – AED 250M (US$68M) committed to CE‑Creates.

• Deployment model – Funds released in stages (validation→MVP→scale), matched to clear milestones.

• Support model – Capital plus hands-on guidance: CE applies its corporate expertise, network and partnerships to back ventures.

• Objective – To boost CE‑Creates’ venture pipeline and accelerate homegrown companies to global markets.

Deputy CEO Tushar Singhvi highlights that this approach “blends disciplined capital deployment with on-the-ground operating support…creating the conditions for sustainable growth and international scale”. Although detailed allocation by sector has not been publicized, the emphasis is clearly on building and scaling high-potential startups with measurable impact.

Notable CE‑Creates Ventures

CE‑Creates’ track record includes a handful of ventures launched in recent years. In announcing the new funding, CEO Badr Jafar specifically cited Kava & Chai, ION, and BreakBread as examples of the studio’s impact. These companies illustrate CE‑Creates’ sector focus and ethos:

• Kava & Chai – A specialty coffee-and-tea chain that revives Middle Eastern café culture. Launched in 2017, it now operates multiple outlets in the UAE. (The concept positions itself as celebrating the region’s coffeehouse traditions.)

• ION – A sustainable mobility venture (a joint project with BEEAH) developing electric vehicle charging networks and green transport solutions. ION is building a zero-emissions transport infrastructure in the UAE and wider MENA region.

• BreakBread – A community-based digital platform for home-cooked food experiences. With over 200 host chefs on board, BreakBread connects people through culturally diverse, home-cooked meals and supper-club events.

Each of these startups was built with CE‑Creates’ resources, from initial concept through market launch, illustrating how the platform turns ideas into operating businesses.

New Leadership: Rakhil Fernando at the Helm

To steer this expansion, Crescent Enterprises has appointed Rakhil Fernando as Head of CE‑Creates. His mandate is to “sharpen execution” of the venture studio’s strategy. Fernando is a seasoned startup executive: he was CEO of AI-driven finance platform Yabi, founder/CEO of the BNPL fintech Koko (under Alibaba), and Managing Director at Daraz (Alibaba’s e‑commerce arm). In his view, CE‑Creates will let founders “build with confidence, backed by capital, operating tools, and partnerships that unlock regional and global potential”. His appointment brings hands-on entrepreneurial and venture-studio experience into CE‑Creates, reinforcing Crescent’s commitment to providing expert guidance as well as funding.

Implications for the UAE Startup Ecosystem

Crescent Enterprises’ AED250M move signals how the UAE’s startup environment is maturing. It reflects rising private-sector engagement in the entrepreneurship ecosystem and dovetails with government initiatives. The UAE has explicitly branded itself as an entrepreneurship hub, for example, launching “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World” campaign and topping the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor rankings for several years. Reports show the country now hosts thousands of tech startups (an estimated 5,600 in 2024, far more than any neighboring Gulf country) and has a venture-capital market projected to reach ~AED2.46 billion by end-2025. In this context, Crescent’s program bolsters the ecosystem by injecting patient capital and building institutional support structures that complement traditional VC. It illustrates a broader trend: UAE family-owned groups and funds are increasingly channeling resources into homegrown innovation as part of national diversification goals. For investors and founders, the move means stronger domestic backing, not just from global VCs but from regional champions – to help scale the “next generation” of UAE-born startups.

Key Takeaways

• Major Funding Boost: Crescent Enterprises has committed AED 250M (~US$68M) to expand CE‑Creates, its venture studio, effectively providing large-scale capital for UAE startups.

• Venture Studio Model: CE‑Creates operates a hands-on, stage-gated approach to startup building. It invests patient capital through four development phases, pairing funding with operational expertise.

• Incubated Startups: The studio’s portfolio includes ventures like Kava & Chai, ION and BreakBread, spanning food & beverage and sustainable mobility sectors. These companies exemplify the platform’s focus on scalable, impact-driven businesses.

• Leadership Injection: Rakhil Fernando, with past roles at Yabi, Alibaba’s Koko and Daraz has been appointed to lead CE‑Creates. His experience is intended to sharpen execution and accelerate venture scaling.

• Ecosystem Impact: The AED250M programme underscores the UAE’s push to be a global startup hub. It aligns with national initiatives (e.g. “Startup Capital” campaign, top GEM rankings) and reflects a booming local VC scene. The move highlights growing regional corporate support for entrepreneurship and will likely spur more family offices and corporates to back innovation.