Emirates Development Bank (EDB) premiered The Multiplier Effect, a documentary that shifts the focus from financial metrics to the personal journeys behind the UAE’s rapidly expanding entrepreneurial landscape.

The film, co-developed with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s Make it in the Emirates initiative and the Ministry of Economy and Tourism’s Startup Capital of the World campaign, highlights how strategic support and national policy translate into real-world impact for founders across the country.

Rather than economic analysis, The Multiplier Effect centers on three individuals whose lives and businesses reflect the UAE’s wider drive toward industrial transformation and diversification.

Rashid Al Sulmi, founder of SULMI and a graduate of the Make it in the Emirates Accelerator, recounts the risks he took to build the UAE’s first electric motorbike from scratch. The documentary follows him from his garage workshop—where the idea began—to the growing startup now contributing to the UAE’s mobility and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Another segment in the film follows Bodour Al Tamimi, founder of Pure Soil, whose battle with autoimmune disease led her to launch an organic, UAE-made food brand. Her journey illustrates how personal adversity can evolve into a sustainable business aligned with national food security ambitions.

The documentary also features Hiba Orfahli, who survived cancer through a pioneering scarless surgical procedure at Oriana Hospital in Sharjah, a healthcare facility supported by EDB. Her recovery and return to family life reflect the broader impact of investments in healthcare innovation.

Speaking at the premiere, H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, CEO of EDB, emphasized the documentary’s aim to demonstrate the real-world value of development banking. “The Multiplier Effect highlights the people and ideas driving the UAE’s economic transformation,” he said. “At EDB, our mission is straightforward: when we finance growth, the nation grows. Every business we support contributes to jobs, innovation, and long-term value for the country. This film shows that impact clearly.”

Since implementing its strategy in 2021, EDB has provided more than AED 22.6 billion in financing, supported the creation of over 38,000 jobs, and added over AED 10 billion to the UAE’s industrial GDP.

The film also highlights EDB’s ecosystem-building work beyond financing, including its accelerators AGRIX and Make it in the Emirates, which offer market access, technical mentorship, and networks to help founders scale.

H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for Entrepreneurship and Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, underscored the importance of centering people—not just policy—in economic development.

“The UAE’s vision for economic growth is fundamentally people-centric,” he said. “We measure success not only by outputs, but by the human spirit and resilience—the founders who take risks, innovate, and shape new industries. The stories featured in this film show exactly what our ecosystem enables and how it inspires many more to contribute to a diversified, future-ready economy.”

The Multiplier Effect will be available on STARZPLAY starting December 2.