Dubai DET And noon Partner To Empower SMEs With E-commerce Tools

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has entered into a significant partnership with noon, a local digital leader, to launch an e-commerce programme aimed at enhancing the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai. This initiative is part of the broader Dubai Traders programme, one of ten transformative projects announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

The Dubai Traders programme aims to solidify Dubai's status as a global hub for entrepreneurship and SME growth. It supports SMEs in building branded online presences, digitising supply chain processes, and accessing e-commerce channels. The initiative focuses on creating close private sector partnerships with leading B2B, B2C, and specialised digital solution providers to offer tools, incentives, and support mechanisms for SMEs to engage with online customers.

In the presence of Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of DET, and Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of noon, the agreement was signed by Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), and Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. Initially, the programme will focus on the e-commerce vertical to help SMEs establish a comprehensive online presence and thrive in the digital marketplace.

Participants in the Dubai Traders programme will receive exclusive incentives and support. These include onboarding support with dedicated account management to expedite sign-up processes. Training opportunities will be available through curated workshops, seminars, and sales insights throughout their selling journey. Additionally, increased seller exposure will be facilitated through advertising credit packages and prioritised product placements on noon platforms.

Hadi Badri commented on the importance of SMEs to Dubai’s economy: "SMEs are the backbone of Dubai’s economy and a critical enabler to accelerate economic growth. We welcome noon as a strategic partner in the Dubai Traders program, reflecting our joint commitment towards delivering on the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33."

Faraz Khalid added: "One of noon.com's core objectives has always been to empower local entrepreneurs and foster a vibrant e-commerce environment, providing all sellers, regardless of their scale, an equal opportunity to succeed."

Supporting Emirati Sellers

Through this partnership with noon, Emirati sellers can avail additional benefits including personalised support via noon’s Mahali programme. The collaboration also offers rapid delivery options through preferential access to noon’s quick-commerce platform featuring a 15-minute delivery model.

The partnership between DET and noon highlights a unique model of collaboration between government and private sectors in Dubai. By leveraging key strengths and sharing knowledge, they aim to create a compelling value proposition that supports Dubai’s SME ecosystem. Noon’s expertise marks a significant step in driving the vision of the Dubai Traders initiative and achieving D33 ambitions.

This collaboration underscores both parties' commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs by providing them with essential tools to engage new customers and expand into new markets. Through these efforts, they aim to unlock the digital potential of traditional SMEs in Dubai.

By directly supporting local SMEs’ success through this programme, DET hopes to contribute significantly to growing Dubai's digital economy while fostering innovation among its businesses.

With inputs from WAM