Ma’an By Majid Al Futtaim Unveils First Cohort Of UAE SMEs, Providing Complimentary Access To Its Expansive Ecosystem
Majid Al Futtaim, a leading pioneer in shopping malls, communities, retail, and leisure across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, has announced the first cohort of Ma’an by Majid Al Futtaim, a dedicated platform designed to support and scale UAE-based SMEs, delivered in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
Ma’anwas set up to bring UAE-based creative SMEs from the studio to the shop floor, providing immediate and complimentary access to premium retail environments and high-footfall audiences across Majid Al Futtaim’s ecosystem. This initiative provides direct entry to market for homegrown businesses by offering timely, practical support that serves as a launchpad for success.
The platform aligns with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority’s (Dubai Culture)Creative Sector Resilience Portfolio, launched by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum It serves as a key mechanism for connecting creative businesses with retail and exhibition opportunities across the emirate.
In this first cohort, 27 UAE-based small and medium-sized creative enterprises will be placed across Majid Al Futtaim’s lifestyle brands, including THAT Concept Store, Crate & Barrel, VOX Cinemas, Activate, an immersive, high-tech active gaming facility and iFly, a premier indoor skydiving attraction located in City Centre Mirdif. This marks the initial step in a long-term platform as further support will be introduced over time, enabling selected brands to reach a broader consumer base across the Group’s ecosystem.
The platform will expand across Majid Al Futtaim’s shopping malls, retail and entertainment destinations in the coming weeks, with additional businesses to be announced as the cohort grows in phases.
Built as a platform, not a one-off moment, Ma’an is designed to remove key barriers to market entry. The initiative provides creative businesses with access to premium retail environments alongside influencer and media amplification at no cost, addressing one of the sector’s most persistent challenges: access to commercial visibility. This marks the first step in a wider, long-term commitment to support and scale UAE-based SMEs.
Khalifa Bin Braik, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, said: “Creative entrepreneurs bring fresh energy, ideas, and originality to our destinations, and we’re proud to welcome this first cohort into the Majid Al Futtaim ecosystem. Their talent enriches the experiences we create for our customers every day. Integrating local creatives across our malls and entertainment destinations is a natural extension of how we support homegrown businesses and nurture the next generation of retail innovators. This cohort is an exciting start, and as Ma’an expands, we look forward to opening even more doors for creative founders to grow, collaborate, and thrive within our ecosystem.”
Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, CEO, Arts, Design and Literature Sector, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority,said:“The Creative Sector Resilience Portfolio represents an innovative strategic framework designed to support entrepreneurs, creatives, and cultural ventures by providing high-quality opportunities that enable them to transform their ideas into sustainable economic value, develop their projects, and reach new audiences and markets.Ma’an, as one of the key projects under the portfolio, reflects Dubai Culture’s commitment, alongside its private sector partners, to building an integrated ecosystem that enhances the readiness of the sector and supports its continued growth. This aligns with Dubai’s vision to strengthen its position as a global hub for the creative economy.”
Al Suwaidi added: “The first cohort marks a significant starting point that demonstrates the practical implementation of the portfolio’s objectives, particularly in sustaining artistic production and providing diverse, multi-purpose spaces free of charge to members of Dubai’s creative community. This contributes to empowering them to play an active role in advancing the cultural and creative industries, a key pillar of Dubai’s knowledge- and innovation-driven economy.”
The public-private model, formalised at the launch of Ma’an, now moves from commitment to delivery through this first phase. Its focus on creative enterprises reflects the shared understanding that enterprises in this space often face the steepest barriers to visibility and growth.
The selected brands for the first cohort include:
- Beit Walif
- Bliss Flowers
- BON PROTEIN BAR
- Boonz
- Cookie Barn
- Drypt Coffee
- Grawtitude PlantBased
- Joy in Jars
- Macromize
- Maison Remie
- Maison Tini
- Matcha Theory FZCO
- Nada Fayyad
- Nomads Roastery
- Nutty’nola
- Oomi Coffee
- Pluto
- Proyo
- Risen Café & Artisanal Bakery
- Silsal
- So Much Trouble
- Studio Chloro
- Superfoods On The Go (OTG)
- The Fix Coffee
- Wellness Works UAE
- Zaid Farouki
- 530 Carats
Further announcements are expected as Ma’an continues to expand its support for UAE-based creatives across the region.