The Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME) has announced an ambitious plan to support the launch of 8 000 new Emirati businesses by the year 2033. This initiative will increase the total number of supported enterprises to 27 000.

Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, Acting CEO of Dubai SME, emphasized the establishment’s commitment to integrating artificial intelligence and advanced technologies in order to enhance its services. He noted that these technologies will help analyze market trends and improve the efficiency of the support provided to entrepreneurs. Almheiri stated, “AI will also be instrumental in monitoring business progress and enabling swift responses to challenges.”

Additionally, Dubai SME offers training programs designed to equip entrepreneurs with the skills to incorporate AI into their operations. This approach aims to foster innovation, scalability, and global competitiveness among new businesses.

Al Romaithi addressed some of the key challenges that startups face, highlighting issues such as access to funding and high operating costs. He mentioned that Dubai SME provides seed and expansion funding through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME, along with commercial licenses available for AED1 000. Incubator space is also offered at the Hamdan Centre for Giftedness and Innovation, focusing on sectors like AI, the digital economy, and fintech.

Moreover, Dubai SME places a strong emphasis on productivity and sustainability by supplying relevant tools and resources. These include a grant program for innovative ideas, an initiative to facilitate entry into e-commerce, and a procurement program that requires government and semi-government entities to allocate 10 percent of their purchases to members of Dubai SME.

Furthermore, Dubai SME conducts monthly workshops with industry stakeholders and has provided consultations to over 3,000 entrepreneurs in the past year, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.