ABU DHABI Islamic Bank (ADIB) has launched BusinessPulse, a portal aimed at providing advice and support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE.

Launched in association with Zawya, BusinessPulse went live on July 1. “The portal has been designed and produced by some of the most influential and successful organisations in business, finance, and technology from around the region. The collective thinking of these organisations has helped to create a new platform that will provide essential information, success stories, networking opportunities and advice to UAE-based SMEs,” a statement said. The resource has three main sections namely “ignite”, “enrich” and “grow”.

BusinessPulse offers business owners and entrepreneurs access to information related to their day-to-day business as well as guidance and support for their long-term growth and expansion strategies. A key feature is a comprehensive library of case studies and videos from successful entrepreneurs. It also features a networking section that will enable SMEs to find the right business partners and contacts and engage in meaningful conversations with peers and experts.

As well as offering funding advice through ongoing interactions with ADIB’s business banking team, visitors can simply apply for a financing facility of up to Dh2 million ($544,000) through the portal.  BusinessPulse will provide know-how on handling key challenges faced by SMEs and provide them with business templates and tools to conduct their business more efficiently, according to the statement.

UAE AN IDEAL MARKET
Tirad Al Mahmoud, CEO of ADIB, said the UAE is an ideal market for SMEs in many ways with more than 230,000 of them, all of whom contribute more than 40 per cent of the country’s GDP. “Starting and running a small business can be rewarding but also very challenging with multiple financial, managerial, legal and regulatory issues to consider. The launch of BusinessPulse reflects ADIB’s drive to provide financial advice and support to SMEs. Through this portal, we will enable business owners to reach their full potential by providing them with the necessary information and support to achieve their goals.”

BusinessPulse will be supported by a series of events and seminars, offering SMEs an opportunity to showcase their success stories and learn from others.

ADIB Business is comprehensively designed for businesses transcending size and sector. The bank’s team of expert business banking professionals provides 24-hour support using innovative solutions to support businesses of all sizes from across the region.