Logistics solution provider Aramex has partnered with business formation specialist Virtuzone to launch Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), an e-commerce accelerator tool for the UAE as well as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The AMP program offers e-commerce startups AED40,000 (US$10,000) worth of benefits and subsidies to reduce the first-year operational costs of starting a business. These include trade licensing, shipping, logistics, developing a payment gateway, e-commerce website development, digital marketing and warehousing.
In this partnership, Aramex will also provide members with preferential rates on deliveries, flexible payment terms and complimentary credits to its delivery, payment and returns solution, Aramex Smart. To make the program accessible, Aramex and Virtuzone are offering it free of cost to companies starting out in e-commerce.
Ahmed Marie, general manager of Aramex in the UAE, said, “Aramex is proud to play a key role in the development and growth of the e-commerce sector in the UAE and the wider MENA region. We are excited to work with Virtuzone to launch the AMP program, to help startups and entrepreneurs in getting their businesses off the ground, by scaling their operations and keeping competitive in a dynamic economy. The powerful combination of Aramex’s expertise and the disruptive solutions provided by AMP will provide long-term and sustainable benefits not just to those joining the program, but to the country’s overall SME [small and medium-size enterprises] and e-commerce sector.”
George Hojeige, CEO of Virtuzone, said, “We have built a longstanding partnership with Aramex, as we believe they are one of the key players in the UAE’s startup sector, particularly in the booming e-commerce industry. While we make it easier and simpler for aspiring e-commerce entrepreneurs to start their business, Aramex has the exact solutions that will help e-commerce startups serve the needs of their target market with proven reliability and efficiency. Together, we aspire to amplify the e-commerce revolution in the region and bolster the UAE’s digital economy.”