The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has signed an agreement of intent with Microsoft, the US multinational technology giant, to accelerate the emirate’s innovation roadmap.

DET said in a statement that this collaboration signifies a dedicated effort to enhance the emirate’s digital economy growth, innovation, and development in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

The work with Microsoft will focus on leveraging smart solutions and applications to achieve the city’s technology transformation objectives within the logistics, SMEs, and education sectors.

The initiative focuses on developing an integrated platform for trade that will streamline operations and improve global competitiveness. This effort not only strengthens the logistics sector but is also in line with the strategic objective of attracting world-class hardware manufacturers and further enhancing Dubai’s position in the global logistics arena.

According to the statement, Microsoft will leverage its resources and expertise to facilitate access for technology start-ups and entrepreneurs and enhance the prospects of success and innovation. Aligned with the D33 Agenda, the technology transformation initiatives were launched to facilitate the testing and marketing of new products and technologies and position Dubai as a global innovation hub.

Further, Microsoft will offer cutting-edge and affordable technology solutions for SMEs in priority sectors to increase SME productivity and effectively utilize data to contribute to business growth and innovation in the emirate.

“Dubai stands at the forefront of global technology, and we are honored to contribute to its progress. This planned collaboration represents a shared commitment to drive innovation, promote economic development, and build a thriving knowledge-based ecosystem for the future,” stated Naim Yazbeck, General Manager of Microsoft UAE.