Dubai: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), has joined forces with Deliveroo to create new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage sector. The two entities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support Emirati-owned businesses registered with the Dubai SME programme.
According to Emirates News Agency, the partnership aims to facilitate market entry and accelerate digital adoption, offering SMEs a cost-effective avenue to expand their customer base, improve competitiveness, and enhance operations. This initiative is aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which targets doubling the size of Dubai's economy by 2033, and aims to unlock growth pathways for homegrown businesses.
The MoU signifies a novel model of public-private collaboration, providing Dubai SME members with commercial benefits such as special onboarding fees, preferential commission structures, and promotional support to enhance customer acquisition and marketing efforts. Beyond financial incentives, the partnership includes a digital transformation package with in-app marketing visibility, onboarding assistance, operational training, and personalized account management, aiding SMEs in transitioning smoothly to digital platforms for sustainable growth.
Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, Acting CEO of Dubai SME, highlighted the pivotal role of SMEs in Dubai's economic success, particularly in the F and B sector, which drives creativity and enhances the city's culinary landscape. He emphasized that the partnership with Deliveroo is streamlining market entry access and accelerating digital transformation, creating an ecosystem for Emirati entrepreneurs to grow and succeed, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
Nick Price, General Manager at Deliveroo Middle East, reiterated Deliveroo's commitment to empowering local businesses by reducing entry barriers and providing ongoing support to F and B entrepreneurs. He stressed that this collaboration reflects the shared belief in public-private partnerships as a driver of innovation and economic progress, contributing to the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
SMEs account for over 90 percent of registered businesses in Dubai and employ the majority of the private sector workforce. Within this context, F and B entrepreneurs are key to establishing Dubai as a world-class culinary destination. The Dubai SME-Deliveroo partnership offers these businesses affordable access to digital tools and customer engagement opportunities to scale in a competitive market.
Dubai SME aims to integrate Emirati entrepreneurs into the business ecosystem, supporting the creation of 8,000 new Emirati ventures by 2033, increasing the total number of supported businesses to 27,000 from 19,000 in 2024.