BoxCommerce, an African-founded e-commerce platform for SMEs and startups, has officially launched operations in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). BoxCommerce is entering the UAE at a time when mobile shopping dominates consumer behavior, SMEs account for 94% of businesses, and small companies still lack simple, affordable tools to build and grow their online stores.
The expansion places BoxCommerce among a growing number of African startups establishing a presence in the Middle East’s commercial hub. The UAE’s e-commerce market is projected to generate $8 billion in revenue this year and is expected to surpass $10 billion by 2029.
Helping Small Businesses Grow Online
Founded in 2017, BoxCommerce provides a range of services, including online store creation, inventory management, payment processing, and logistics support. The company launched in Kenya in 2022, where it claims to have onboarded more than 5,400 merchants within its first year, 16 times the growth rate achieved by Shopify in the same period. BoxCommerce is also active in South Africa and Indonesia.
The UAE represents a strategic entry point into a region where consumer demand is strong but small businesses often lack user-friendly solutions to establish and grow their online presence.
“The UAE is a strategic market for BoxCommerce. With mobile commerce dominating and over 70% of the population shopping online, the country is on track to grow its e-commerce market size to AED 48 billion by 2028. Our platform is designed to help local businesses tap into this explosive growth.” said Craig Mcleod, CEO and founder of BoxCommerce.
Supporting SMEs in the UAE’s Thriving Market
In Dubai, BoxCommerce will focus on making it easy for SMEs to set up online stores within minutes without requiring technical skills. The platform will also enable merchants to sell across multiple channels, including websites, social media platforms, and marketplaces.
“Despite having around 600,000 SMEs in the UAE, there are still very few easy-to-use eCommerce solutions designed to help local SMEs grow and scale. SMEs are the bedrock of any economy, representing 94% of the UAE’s companies and employing over 86% of the private sector workforce.” said Rahul Vaish, MENA Director of BoxCommerce.
BoxCommerce previously participated in Facebook’s Commerce Accelerator in 2020 and recently joined Mastercard’s Startup Engagement Program, which supports fintech startups aiming to drive impact for small businesses.
The company’s long-term goal is to become the go-to e-commerce platform for emerging-market merchants seeking to build omnichannel retail operations without technical complexity.
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