Historical Moment: LIQUiDITY Group Invests $50M in Abu Dhabi R&D Center Supported by Abu Dhabi Investment Office

• Pioneering technology firm that has become the industry’s fastest growing lender, Liquidity Group to establish R&D centre at Abu Dhabi Global Marketfocused on developing Machine Learning-enabled LendTech solutions
• ADIO’s Innovation Programme supports Liquidity Group’s expansion to Abu Dhabi via financial and non-financial incentives
• Partnership agreement signed at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2022‍

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) Innovation Programme is partnering with the breakthrough FinTech company Liquidity Group, the first Israeli company to join the AED 2 billion (USD 545 million) programme. The partnership will support Liquidity Group’s establishment of an R&D centre in Abu Dhabi to develop its proprietary technology-enabled underwriting algorithm and other financial solutions.

The partnership agreement was signed by Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Acting Director General of ADIO, and Ron Daniel, CEO of Liquidity Group, during Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2022. Hosted by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre in the UAE capital, ADFW brings together a global audience of decision makers and industry leaders to accelerate the transformation of finance in the emirate.

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Ron Daniel, CEO of Liquidity Group, said: “Beyond the personal excitement of fulfilling the Abraham Accords in real life and growing networks, friendships and partnerships in the UAE, I have always believed that the UAE and ADGM, in particular, are the best places in the world to scale tech companies. Thanks to our partners at ADIO, our new R&D centre in ADGM is growing fast and is swiftly being populated with some of the best global brains. We look forward to extending our partnership with ADIO to benefit all UAE tech.”

Founded in 2018, Liquidity Group is a pioneering technology firm that has become the industry’s fastest growing lender to mid-market, late-stage companies by automating the entire debt lending cycle. The firm’s patented machine learning and decision science technology has enabled the firm to deploy more capital through more deals faster than any firm in capital markets history.

ADIO has awarded Liquidity Group competitive financial incentives and will support the company with non-financial incentives throughout the partnership. With Liquidity Group’s expansion to Abu Dhabi, it will also benefit from the emirate’s extensive R&D support network, access to local talent and a time zone that favorably overlaps with global markets.

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Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Acting Director General of ADIO, said: “Liquidity Group makes a strong addition to Abu Dhabi’s financial services ecosystem, bringing its robust expertise in Machine Learning to grow the venture financing landscape. With a focus on locally relevant and globally exportable solutions, the technology developed in the emirate will help to support startups in Abu Dhabi and the region. ADIO’s partnership with Liquidity Group also serves to deepen the relationship between the UAE and Israel, as the two markets pursue innovation-driven technologies and activities with far-reaching impact.”

Through the Innovation Programme, ADIO will support Liquidity Group in initiatives that build Machine Learning capabilities in Abu Dhabi. The company’s R&D centre will focus on developing its Machine Learning-enabled LendTech solutions for its underwriting business. It will also build a Centre of Excellence of Enterprise Machine Learning that supports other startups within Abu Dhabi in applying Liquidity Group’s modelling methodologies. Additionally, it will engage with Abu Dhabi-based universities to develop educational training programmes and certifications focused on Machine Learning.

Liquidity Group will establish its R&D centre at ADGM, which offers a business friendly and holistic regulatory environment with an advanced financial services infrastructure. The partnership strengthens the UAE capital’s position as a leading financial hub, which is home to some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, a thriving stock exchange and an award-winning international financial centre.

Dhaher bin Dhaher Al Mheiri, CEO of ADGM Registration Authority said, “ADGM is thrilled to be the destination of choice for a promising R&D centre that is specialised in driving innovation in new age finance and offering this emerging sector a unique ecosystem to grow and thrive. On this occasion, we would like to congratulate Liquidity Group for joining ADIO’s innovation programme and benefiting from this strategic funding that will bolster the group’s expansion plans in the field of research and development. We at ADGM, will continue to support the efforts of ADIO to amplify the role of Abu Dhabi as a growing hub for R&D and knowledge building in line with the emirate’s vision to achieve a diversified economy.”

Liquidity Group is the first Israeli company supported through the Innovation Programme, representing a milestone for Abu Dhabi-Israel relations since the historic signing of the Abraham Accords. The partnership furthers ADIO’s efforts to advance cooperation between the two markets.

ADIO established an office in Tel Aviv in 2021 to support innovative Israeli companies looking to establish and expand their operations in the UAE capital.

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About the Abu Dhabi Investment Office‍

‍The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) is the government entity responsible for attracting and facilitating investment in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. ADIO enables opportunities for innovative investors and businesses of all sizes, facilitating connections across Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem to help them establish and grow in the emirate. With a comprehensive range of tailored services and incentives, ADIO helps businesses achieve long-term, sustainable success in the market and across the region.

About Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is the international financial centre (IFC) of the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, which opened for business on 21st October 2015. ADGM augments Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading financial centre and a business hub serving as a strategic link between the growing economies of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia and the rest of the world.

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