Dubai Economy And Tourism Collaborates With Amazon UAE To Launch DET X Amazon Accelerator For SMEs

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has partnered with Amazon UAE to introduce the 'DET x Amazon Accelerator’. This initiative aims to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai by enhancing their global competitiveness. By providing SMEs with advanced digital tools, resources, and mentorship, the program seeks to accelerate their digital transformation and broaden their international reach.

In a ceremony attended by Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, 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 accelerator is part of the broader Dubai Traders initiative under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

The Dubai Traders initiative is one of ten transformative projects announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It aims to establish Dubai as a leading hub for entrepreneurship and SME growth. By partnering with top private sector companies and digital solution providers, it helps SMEs build an online presence, digitise supply chains, expand in online retail, and access international customers.

Amazon’s 25 years of global expertise underpin the 'DET x Amazon Accelerator’, which focuses on six key pillars to empower SMEs. These include global reach through Amazon’s network, digital upskilling via tailored workshops, personalised guidance from trusted service providers, enhanced brand visibility through dedicated storefronts, marketing support with Amazon Ads credits, and more.

Hadi Badri remarked on the collaboration's significance: "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."

Ronaldo Mouchawar highlighted the importance of small businesses: "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."

Global Expertise for Local Success

This partnership between DET and Amazon UAE showcases effective collaboration between government entities and private sectors. It leverages Amazon's global expertise through the D33 Dubai Traders program to offer unique opportunities for Dubai-based SMEs to scale internationally. The initiative aligns with ambitions to host products from 100,000 businesses on Amazon.ae by 2026.

The accelerator programme will focus on enhancing discoverability for SMEs while expanding their operations beyond UAE borders. Through strategic partnerships like this one, Dubai continues its journey towards becoming a premier hub for innovation and economic growth.

With inputs from WAM