Quiqup Launches “Shop Local” Platform to Boost UAE Homegrown Brands

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 27-04-2026

4 min

Quiqup has launched Shop Local to boost UAE small brands online.

The platform gathers homegrown businesses, helping them be “seen” by customers.

Backed by the Innovation Fund, Quiqup now supports others' growth.

Already 190 brands joined, targeting at least 250 soon.

A sister platform, Source Local, will link suppliers with buyers.

In a move that speaks directly to the everyday struggles of small businesses, UAE-based e-commerce logistics firm Quiqup has rolled out a new platform called “Shop Local”, designed to give homegrown brands a stronger digital presence and an easier route to customers across the Emirates.

The idea is fairly straightforward, but powerful. Shop Local gathers UAE-based brands onto one integrated online platform, allowing consumers to browse and buy from local businesses that might otherwise get lost in the noise of a crowded digital marketplace. For many SMEs, visibility is half the battle, sometimes more. Being “seen” by the right customer can feel like chasing shadows.

The platform is open to small and local businesses across the UAE, offering them a practical channel to build awareness, drive sales and, hopefully, create long-term growth. And timing matters. Support for local companies has gained fresh momentum in recent years, particularly as economies looked inward and communities rallied around domestic brands. In my conversations with founders across the region, I often hear the same refrain: getting traction online is a bit of a faff, especially when competing with global giants. So initiatives like this feel spot on.

Fatima Yousif Alnaqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry’s representative at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF), highlighted the wider context. Enabling high-potential innovative businesses to grow, she noted, is essential to building a stronger, future-ready economy. With the right support at the right stage, companies are better positioned to scale, contribute meaningfully to the market and create wider value across the ecosystem. In the UAE, where entrepreneurship and innovation are central to economic strategy, that backing can make a real difference.

Bassel El Koussa, CEO of Quiqup, described small and local businesses as a vital part of the national economy. He said the initiative was created to help brands build momentum, deepen their connection with customers and strengthen their market presence. The broader ambition, he added, is to encourage more people to discover the businesses around them and play an active role in supporting the local economy.

There is also an ecosystem story behind this launch. Quiqup, headquartered in the UAE since 2019, has been supported by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund through its Guarantee Scheme, which provides access to government-backed funding without taking equity. That support has helped the company mature to a stage where it can now create value for others in the market. In simple terms, yesterday’s supported startup is today’s enabler. And I reckon that’s exactly how a healthy innovation system should work.

As of now, the platform has already received 190 brand submissions, with Quiqup aiming to support at least 250 businesses over the coming weeks. That’s not a small number, especially considering the operational lift required to onboard and showcase each one properly.

And believe it or not, this is just the first step. Quiqup is preparing to launch “Source Local”, a complementary platform intended to generate tangible business leads for UAE-based suppliers and manufacturers. It will mirror the Shop Local format, focusing on increasing visibility and linking suppliers directly with potential customers.

Quiqup positions itself as a technology-driven e-commerce enablement provider, offering services from local and international delivery to fulfilment and returns. Its proprietary platform integrates with online stores, providing analytics and logistics tools that help businesses scale, which, as many founders admit, can otherwise be definitately overwhelming.

On the flip side, platforms alone are not a magic wand. SMEs still need strong products, clear branding and sound financial management. But when infrastructure removes friction and opens doors, it certainly shifts the odds.

For readers of Arageek who keep an eye on how regional ecosystems evolve, this feels like another signal that the UAE’s startup landscape is maturing. Support is no longer only about funding rounds and flashy valuations. Sometimes, it’s about building practical bridges between businesses and buyers. And in the long run, that might matter even more.

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