SEDF, Accelerate Prosperity ink MoU for SMEs financing

KARACHI: The Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) and Accelerate Prosperity (AP), a programme of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 16, at SEDF’s Karachi office to enhance access to finance for startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Sindh.

The agreement was signed by Khizar Pervaiz, Chief Executive Officer, SEDF, and Rohma Labeeb, Country Head, Accelerate Prosperity, in the presence of Syed Qassim Naveed Qamar, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister (SACM) Sindh for Investment & Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit and chairman, SEDF, along with senior leadership including Harris Khan, Chief Investment Officer, Accelerate Prosperity.

The partnership establishes a structured framework under which Accelerate Prosperity will identify and prepare high-potential startups and SMEs, while the SEDF will evaluate and extend KIBOR-based markup subsidy support in line with its mandate and priority sectors. The collaboration aims to lower financing costs, strengthen enterprise bankability, and enhance access to formal credit for SMEs in Sindh.

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Qassim Naveed Qamar, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Sindh for Investment & PPP Unit and Chairman, SEDF, stated that strengthening institutional linkages between enterprise development and formal finance is central to Sindh’s economic agenda, and that this partnership creates a structured pathway for scalable, investment-ready businesses.

Rohma Labeeb, Country Head, Accelerate Prosperity, noted that aligning enterprise development with structured financial facilitation will accelerate the transition of high-potential startups into investment-ready and creditworthy businesses within the province.

The signing reflects the Sindh government’s commitment to transforming SME support from isolated initiatives into an institutional financing framework, positioning enterprise growth as a central driver of industrial expansion, job creation, and long-term economic stability in the province.