The accelerator will provide Dubai-based business owners and sellers with advanced digital tools, and strategic growth opportunities to reach millions of customers through Amazon UAE

Part of the wider Dubai Traders initiative announced under the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33 to help small businesses scale online

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has forged a strategic collaboration with Amazon UAE, to launch the ‘DET x Amazon Accelerator’. The program is designed to bolster the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai, and enhance their competitiveness on the international stage. By equipping SMEs with advanced digital tools, resources, and mentorship, the program aims to fast-track their digital journeys and expand their reach globally.

The accelerator falls under the wider Dubai Traders initiative, one of the ten transformative initiatives announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. Dubai Traders will solidify Dubai’s position as a premier hub for entrepreneurship and SME growth by harnessing strategic partnerships with leading private sector companies and specialised digital solutions providers, to help SMEs build a strong online presence, digitise supply chain processes, expand across online retail, and have unprecedented access to international customers. 

In the presence of H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, the agreement was signed by Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), and Jasmin Frick, Director of Seller Success at Amazon MENA.

The newly launched ‘DET x Amazon Accelerator’ program is underpinned by Amazon’s 25 years of global expertise and will focus on six key pillars to empower SMEs to scale online, enhance their discoverability and expand their reach:

Global Reach: Access to Amazon’s global reach, allowing sellers to tap into new geographies and scale their operations beyond the UAE.

Digital Upskilling: Tailored workshops by Amazon UAE to equip SMEs with the knowledge to effectively utilise the company’s proprietary tools and strategies, enabling them to seamlessly establish a presence on Amazon.ae and achieve rapid success

Tailored Expertise: Personalised guidance from Amazon UAE’s trusted service providers, to help SMEs maximise growth by leveraging the full potential of services and tools, including account registration, listing to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon Advertising, and Brand Registry

Enhanced Visibility: Enhanced brand visibility through Amazon UAE’s dedicated “Shop Local” storefront, and exclusive prominence during Amazon’s sales events to connect millions of customers with local businesses on Amazon.ae, and encourage them to prioritise shopping from local sellers.

Marketing Support: Dedicated Amazon Ads credits provided to launch impactful marketing campaigns and reach a wider audience.

Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Economic Development Corporation at DET, stated: “Our collaboration with Amazon marks a pivotal step in fulfilling the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33’s goal of empowering local SMEs to harness the full potential of digital commerce. By offering a tailored comprehensive suite of tools and support, the Dubai Traders program aims to accelerate the growth of Dubai-based businesses and extend their reach globally, further solidifying Dubai’s position as a leading hub for innovation and economic growth.”

Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, added: “Small businesses are at the heart of our local communities and the backbone of every economy. That is why we are honored to collaborate with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) to launch the ‘DET x Amazon Accelerator’, a capacity building program that aims to expedite the next phase of growth and digital transformation for hundreds of Dubai SMEs. This reiterates our commitment to Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and advances our ambition to host products from 100,000 businesses, including local SMEs on Amazon.ae by 2026.”

The collaboration between DET and Amazon UAE exemplifies the collaborative spirit between government and the private sector, leveraging Amazon’s global expertise through the D33 Dubai Traders program to provide Dubai-based SMEs with a unique opportunity to scale and succeed on the world stage.

For more details and to sign up to the program please visit: sell.amazon.ae/partners/det-amazon

About the Dubai Traders Program

The Dubai Traders Program (DTP) is an initiative announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, under the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) to support the growth of Dubai-based SMEs. The program aims to encourage Emirati and non-Emirati sellers of all sizes, including new entrepreneurs, to adopt new digital channels, so they scale operations and reach new customer bases locally and regionally. It relies on key anchor partnerships with leading B2B, B2C, and specialized digital players to provide a suite of tools, incentives, and support mechanisms for sellers to get online.

About Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

With the ultimate vision of making Dubai the world’s leading commercial centre, investment hub and tourism destination, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is mandated to support the Government in positioning the emirate as a major hub for global economy and tourism, and in boosting the city’s economic and tourism competitiveness indicators, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy and consolidate its position among the top three global cities over the next decade.

Under this remit, DET is driving efforts to further enhance Dubai’s diversified, innovative service-based economy to attract top global talent, deliver a world-class business environment and accelerate productivity growth. Additionally, DET is supporting Dubai’s vision to become the world’s best city to visit, live and work in by promoting its diverse destination proposition, unique lifestyle and outstanding quality of life, overall.

DET is the principal authority for planning, supervising, developing and marketing Dubai’s business and tourism sectors. It is also responsible for licensing and classifying all types of businesses, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. DET’s portfolio includes Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), Dubai Business Licence Corporation (DBLC), Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade (DCCPFT), Dubai SME, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) and Dubai College of Tourism (DCT). 

About Amazon:

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.