In a groundbreaking move that reflects the growing synergy between the corporate and financial technology sectors, Comera Financial Holdings has partnered with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to launch a smart financing program aimed at empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and suppliers in the UAE. This collaboration, announced on November 7, 2025, serves as an exemplar of how large corporations and financial innovators can join forces to fuel economic growth. As a serial entrepreneur who has navigated the intricate SME landscape for decades, I, Violetta Bonenkamp, am excited to see how this partnership will lay the groundwork for scalable growth for SMEs in the UAE.
Smart Financing: The Game-Changer for SMEs
Access to financing is often cited as one of the most significant hurdles for SMEs, particularly in industries tied to large procurement processes such as oil and gas. ADNOC’s partnership with Comera Financial Holdings represents a paradigm shift. Instead of the traditional lengthy and cumbersome financing application processes, SMEs will now have access to an automated platform that uses smart technology to directly connect them with lenders.
This platform allows these businesses to convert their purchase orders (POs) from ADNOC into immediate working capital, providing a practical solution to address cash flow challenges. With this innovation, ADNOC’s suppliers can deliver on contracts more efficiently and enhance their operational agility. According to Finextra, such solutions are necessary to ensure resilience in supply chains and to support long-term scalability of SMEs amid fluctuating market conditions.
Top Benefits of the ADNOC-Comera Partnership for SMEs
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Instant Liquidity Through PO Financing
Suppliers gain swift access to the liquidity they need to fulfill contracts, enabling timely delivery and enhancing client satisfaction. -
Reduced Bureaucracy via Automation
The intelligent platform minimizes administrative hurdles, cutting down on time and costs related to traditional financing. -
Support for Local Business Ecosystem
ADNOC’s initiative reinforces its In-Country Value (ICV) Program, which focuses on boosting the local economy, enhancing competitiveness, and creating jobs for UAE citizens. -
Alignment with National Economic Objectives
This collaboration aligns with the UAE's strategic vision toward economic diversification, reducing dependency on oil and fostering a thriving SME sector. -
Accelerated Growth with Strategic Guidance
SMEs can now focus on expanding their businesses without the stress of financial constraints, thanks to tailored financial solutions.
Here’s How You Can Leverage This Program as an Entrepreneur
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Understand the Platform Features
Learn about how the platform works and familiarize yourself with the application process for activating the supply chain financing feature. This could save hours and will streamline your operations. -
Optimize Your Offerings
Use the improved access to financing to invest in better technology, workforce training, or more competitive pricing strategies. -
Plan for Scalability
The immediate access to cash flows should be channeled toward scaling your capacity for larger contracts, increasing market competitiveness. -
Be Collaborative
Utilize this platform as an opportunity to deepen your relationship with both ADNOC and Comera, securing long-term business advantages. -
Monitor and Measure Impact
Regularly review how this financing program affects your company’s financial health, delivery timelines, and overarching growth strategy.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While this initiative seems like a lifeline for SMEs, there are potential missteps to look out for:
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Neglecting Due Diligence
Always ensure the financial terms work in favor of your unique business model and don’t just accept offers without scrutiny. -
Overdependence on Financing
While the access to immediate liquidity is a boost, it’s crucial to avoid becoming reliant on this program as the sole financial strategy. Keep diversifying funding resources. -
Ignoring Automation Benefits
Many entrepreneurs underuse tech-driven features. Engage fully with the platform’s automation tools to maximize operational efficiency. -
Failing to Communicate Internally
Align your team around this financing framework. Lack of communication might lead to inefficiencies within your internal supply chain.
Why This Collaboration Matters
As someone who has built businesses across various countries, I have a deep appreciation for initiatives like this one. This partnership doesn’t merely solve immediate financial challenges for SMEs; it transforms how businesses in the UAE interact with the broader oil and gas supply chain ecosystem. Financial platforms that intelligently connect suppliers with capital are the future, especially for regions like the Middle East, where diversification away from oil is a pressing priority.
The UAE’s dedication to fostering SME growth is evident in initiatives like this, which serve as blueprints for global economies looking to nurture their local businesses. For entrepreneurs, it’s not just about jumping into opportunities like this program but also about maintaining a balanced approach to growth and financial health.
Final Thoughts
The ADNOC-Comera partnership is not merely a financial innovation; it’s a beacon of how large corporations can empower smaller players in their ecosystem. For SME owners reading this, it’s time to take note. Utilizing such smart financing programs could very well be the ticket to scaling operations and staying resilient in competitive markets.
For more detailed insights on smart financing and other groundbreaking developments for SMEs and entrepreneurs, visit Finextra’s article on ADNOC-Comera Financial partnerships. As always, keep innovating, keep learning, and seize the opportunities that elevate your business to new heights.
FAQ
1. What is the purpose of the partnership between Comera Financial Holdings and ADNOC?
The partnership aims to enhance financial access for SMEs and suppliers in the UAE by introducing a smart financing program. This initiative allows suppliers awarded ADNOC contracts to convert purchase orders (POs) into immediate working capital. Learn more about the ADNOC-Comera partnership
2. How does the smart financing platform work?
The platform automates and simplifies the financing process by directly connecting SMEs and suppliers to lenders. This process eliminates lengthy bureaucratic steps and provides swift access to liquidity. Discover the smart financing system
3. Who benefits from this financing program?
The program primarily supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and suppliers under ADNOC’s ecosystem, helping them access working capital efficiently and grow their business. Read more about SME empowerment
4. How does this initiative align with UAE’s economic goals?
The program supports the UAE's In-Country Value (ICV) Program, which focuses on bolstering the local economy, enhancing competitiveness, and reducing dependency on oil revenues by diversifying the economic base. Explore the UAE’s economic initiatives
5. What challenges does this partnership address for SMEs?
Many SMEs face challenges with cash flow and obtaining working capital. This partnership provides a solution by allowing immediate access to liquidity, helping SMEs fulfill contracts and grow effectively. Learn how the partnership addresses SME challenges
6. Who are the key figures leading this collaboration?
Key leaders involved include Khaled Al Zaabi, ADNOC’s Group CFO, and Akhtar Saeed Hashmi, Managing Director and Group CEO of Comera Financial Holdings. Read about the leadership and their vision
7. What is the significance of the automated platform for suppliers?
The automated platform provides suppliers the ability to convert purchase orders into funding rapidly. This ensures enhanced delivery timelines, supply chain liquidity, and operational agility. Explore the impact of automation
8. How does Comera Financial Holdings contribute to the partnership?
Comera Financial Holdings provides fintech expertise and funding capabilities through its affiliation with Abu Dhabi’s Royal Group. This enables world-class financial innovation tailored for ADNOC’s supply chain. Learn more about Comera’s role
9. Does this collaboration have a global economic implication?
Yes, this partnership is a model of how large corporations can leverage financial technology to support SMEs, potentially setting an example for other regions to replicate. Read about its global impact
10. How can SMEs take advantage of this financing program?
SMEs can use the platform to access funding based on POs, which allows them to improve cash flow, invest in growth, and optimize operations for scalability. Learn how SMEs can benefit
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
