Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has introduced SME in a Box, a unified platform giving entrepreneurs single-point access to essential business services, including licensing, banking, digital payments, logistics, and telecommunications through a curated network of 18 private-sector partners.
The platform is designed to eliminate the friction of sourcing multiple vendors independently, with DET estimating potential savings of more than AED 80,000 per business through discounted rates, waived fees, and preferential SME packages.
Emirati founders qualify for additional pricing benefits and onboarding support. Digital-first services can be activated within 24 hours, while the platform is projected to save entrepreneurs up to 200 hours otherwise spent on provider research and contract negotiation. Launch partners include Emirates NBD, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Aramex, du, and DHL. SME in a Box will eventually integrate with the Invest in Dubai platform and Dubai Founders HQ under the D33 economic agenda framework.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer