Crescent Enterprises has announced a AED250m ($68m) investment programme to expand CE-Creates, its venture-building platform.
The new funding, combined with updated leadership, marks a major expansion of CE-Creates’ role as a builder and scaler of high-growth, impact-driven startups from the UAE to global markets.
Operating as a sector-agnostic venture studio, CE-Creates will deploy staged, patient capital alongside operational expertise and ecosystem access to turn early-stage concepts into competitive businesses capable of scaling internationally.
Support for UAE startups
Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises, said: “The UAE has become a launchpad for serious builders, and our collective vision is for the country to be known as the start-up capital of the world.
“With CE-Creates, our venture building platform, we’re helping entrepreneurs convert purpose into performance – locally proven, globally competitive.”
CE-Creates has already helped develop several ventures, including:
- Kava & Chai: Celebrating the region’s coffee and tea heritage
- ION: Developing sustainable mobility solutions
- BreakBread: A community-centred digital food experience and supperclub platform
Supporting sustainable growth
Tushar Singhvi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Investments at Crescent Enterprises, said: “This AED250m allocation marks an exciting new chapter for CE-Creates and for regional entrepreneurship. Our model blends disciplined capital deployment with on-the-ground operating support in ways traditional venture funding often does not, creating the conditions for sustainable growth and international scale.”