Seamless is Middle East’s biggest and important event that provides an exhibition platform for payments, Fintech, e-Commerce and retail. This year’s event oversaw discussions major topics such as Fintech, Blockchain, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Innovations. The event also provided a platform for tech companies to display their latest technologies that could facilitate and ease the process of online payments.

The 19th edition of the Seamless Middle East took place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 15th April to 16th April 2018 under the patronage of Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. The event was sponsored by Dubai Airport Free zone (DAFZA) and Wasl Asset Management Group aiming to make Dubai the most attractive and ideal e-Commerce destination. More than 350 international and regional companies participated in the event along with 10,000 industry professionals and tech enthusiasts. Several thought provoking dialogues and keynotes were exchanged throughout the event that helped the attendees to think beyond the obvious and prepare for the future.

Seamless Middle East — Event Highlights
The two day event was packed with a tight schedule. Conferences, Demos, exhibitions and visitor attractions on latest trends in e-Commerce, Fintech, Blockchain, AI Innovations and retail were organized in the event. business plan in uae Networking opportunities and award functions were also held. More than 300 speakers delivered thought provoking keynotes in the conference. Some of the major highlights of the events are listed below

Demos
The seamless Middle East provided “free to attend” conferences under “demos” that provided visitors unparalleled peer-to-peer learning opportunity. Some of the topics that were covered in demos are listed below.

Digital Payments
Fintech
Migrating from EMV to Dual Interface
Customer Conversion
Digital Marketing
Logistics & Fulfilment
Building online Trust

Visitor Attractions
The visitor attractions provided a platform to learn through interactive launches, showcases and interviews, located within the exhibition floor.

e-Commerce University — A one day programme devoted to helping entrepreneurs build, launch and grow a profitable e-Commerce business.

Fintech Showcase — A showcase of international and regional Fintech companies.

Launch Pad — A showcase of genuine innovation in latest products and services never before seen in the Middle East.

Start-Up Zone — Success stories of innovative e-Commerce companies over the past 12 months.

Pitch-offs — An opportunity for e-Commerce start-ups to pitch their products / services supported by Venture Capital funding of USD $500,000 for the top 5–10 ideas.

Networking
Several initiatives were taken by Seamless to accelerate the networking and business connections of the attendees.

Peer–2-Peer Roundtables — Interactive round table sessions

VIP Buyer Program — Networking with VIP delegates with with purchasing power of millions of dollar.

Connect with Jujama — Networking application for Seamless Middle East attendees.

Seamless Middle East — Exhibitors Highlights
Several major international and regional companies exhibited their products and services in the event. Among the 350 companies that participated in the event, 4 start-up companies were highlighted in the event for the most innovative solutions provided by them for the past 12 months. These “Industry Disrupting Start-Ups” are listed below:

Dave A.I — An innovative technology that reinvented the buying experience for customers in offline retail using state of the art Artificial Intelligence.

Akyasi — A new and unique mobile application which aims to facilitate a seamless and hassle-free experience for its users

Tinyclues — A leading AI-first Marketing Campaign Intelligence solution enabling
companies to generate additional revenue through intelligent campaign targeting and planning.

Snash — A mobile application that helps fast moving consumer good (FMCG) brands to access the basket size & identify consumer-purchasing habits.

Investment Opportunities in Dubai’s e-Commerce Sector
The Middle East region is witnessing a rapid growth in the e-Commerce sector, with UAE claiming 15th positing on the Euromonitor International’s Digital Consumer Index 2017.

UAE also ranks 1st in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) on digital consumer spending. According to the reports published by Dubai Chambers, e-Commerce will be a megatrend for businesses in the UAE in next few years.

The UAE’s e-Commerce sector is expected to be valued at Dh 36.7 billion by 2018 at a growth rate of 10 per cent annually. Dubai contributes around 40 per cent of the total value of e-Commerce sector in UAE.

With e-Commerce sector valued at Dh 10 billion, Dubai provides excellent opportunities for investment in the sector. Furthermore, the establishment of Fintech based companies in Dubai, the increasing demand for blockchain technologies, introduction of emPay (emcredit system for online cashless transactions) and the incentives / subsidiaries provided by the government for technology based companies provide an ideal platform for investment in e-Commerce sector in Dubai.