Brunei Empowers Young Entrepreneurs and SMEs

The Bruneian government has helped facilitate start-ups to access financial resources through the BizBelia scheme. The Shariah-compliant financing initiative aims to incentivize young entrepreneurs to boost national economic growth, a key aspect of the Wawasan Brunei 2035. The Sultan himself recently emphasized the importance of BizBelia and the access to capital and resources it provides for startups. He also acknowledged the challenges businesses face in the current national context and committed to supporting these businesses to thrive.
Earlier this year, in May 2025, Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) also published the Business Sentiment Index (BSI), surveying more than 500 micro, small and medium enterprises from 11 economic sectors in Brunei. The results showed mixed sentiments among businesses regarding the current access to opportunity in Brunei. The investment index demonstrated an optimistic but cautious picture, with the biggest potential growth areas in manufacturing facility expansions and infrastructure projects. The BizBelia scheme, therefore, catalyzes ongoing investments and encourages businesses to take on more opportunities to thrive, while providing confidence that revitalized entrepreneurship and new business opportunities could surface.