Dubai SME: Support for Emirati Entrepreneurs in Dubai
Dubai SME, the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, is part of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism. It supports Emirati entrepreneurs with commercial licences from AED 1,000, seed and expansion funding through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME, incubation, training and a rule that government and semi-government entities direct 10% of purchases to its members. It aims to support 8,000 new Emirati businesses by 2033.
What Dubai SME offers
| Support | Detail |
|---|---|
| Licences | Commercial licences for AED 1,000 |
| Funding | Seed and expansion funding through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund for SME |
| Procurement | Government and semi-government entities direct 10% of purchases to Dubai SME members |
| Incubation | Space at the Hamdan Center for Giftedness and Innovation (AI, digital economy, fintech) |
| Programmes | Ztartup (health tech), Dubai SME 100, Hi Dubai listings, Dubai Next crowdfunding |
| Training | Monthly workshops, AI training, specialised consultancy |
Targets and track record
Dubai SME aims to support 8,000 new Emirati businesses by 2033, taking its total to 27,000. In 2024 it facilitated 3,461 new Emirati businesses.
Sources
- Dubai SME to support launch of 8,000 new Emirati businesses by 2033. Economy Middle East, quoting Dubai SME via WAM.
- Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development. Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
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