Dubai Economy and Tourism, Amazon UAE launch ‘DET x Amazon Accelerator’

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has forged a strategic collaboration with Amazon UAE, to launch the ‘DET x Amazon Accelerator’.

The programme 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 Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye, 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’ programme 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 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 added, “Small businesses are at the heart of our local communities and the backbone of every economy. That is why we are honoured 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.

WAM