The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) has launched an initiative to establish 1,000 e-commerce stores for its eligible members in partnership with Packman Portal LLC. The one-year initiative, valued at AED 3,600,000, aims to help women-owned businesses strengthen their online presence and expand their reach to wider markets.

Each participating member will receive a fully integrated online store valued at AED 3,600 annually. Every store will include a dedicated website, a payment gateway, a product management system, an administrative dashboard, customisable design features, practical training, and ongoing technical support, enabling businesswomen to launch or strengthen their digital operations and enhance their competitiveness.

The initiative was unveiled during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by Maryam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, and Mohamed Al Rashed, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Packman Portal LLC.

Under the agreement, participating businesses that receive at least 365 customer orders during their first year will qualify for a second year of complimentary service.

Strengthening online presence

Commenting on the new partnership, Maryam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, said: “For many entrepreneurs, the greatest challenge is not creating an excellent product or service. It is making sure customers can discover it. In today’s economy, a strong digital presence is an absolute necessity. At SBWC, we are committed to removing the barriers that can prevent businesswomen from achieving their full potential. This partnership combines digital infrastructure with practical knowledge, giving women business owners the resources to build a professional online presence, reach wider markets and grow with greater confidence.”

She added: “Our ambition extends beyond helping businesses launch online. We want to equip our members with capabilities that continue creating value long after this programme ends. When women-led businesses become more digitally competitive, they strengthen not only their own enterprises, but also Sharjah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the UAE’s broader digital economy.”

Digital tools for business competitiveness

Abdulaziz Almulhem, CEO & Founder, Packman Portal LLC said: “We are proud to build Packman in the UAE, a nation whose leadership has inspired a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and opportunity. That example continues to shape our mission. We believe every entrepreneur deserves access to the tools needed to compete in the digital economy, regardless of where they start. Through our partnerships with SBWC, we are taking another step toward our vision of empowering entrepreneurs across the UAE first, then the region, and ultimately the world.”

Beyond monetary support to professional training

The partnership extends beyond technology by focusing equally on capability building. Packman will deliver a series of practical workshops covering digital entrepreneurship, e-commerce store setup, inventory and product management, digital marketing, customer service, performance optimisation and sustainable business growth. The collaboration will also include awareness campaigns and future joint initiatives designed to strengthen further the participation of women-owned businesses in Sharjah’s digital economy.

Digital commerce continues to play an expanding role in business growth across the UAE. The country’s e-commerce market generated US$8.1 billion (approximately AED 29.8 billion) in revenue in 2025 and is expected to maintain annual growth of 10 to 15 per cent through 2026, according to ECDB.

Packman is an integrated e-commerce platform that provides sellers with solutions including digital store creation, payment gateway integration, inventory management, order fulfilment, warehousing, shipping, and operational and marketing support. The company also uses artificial intelligence to build and organise online stores, supporting the partnership’s objective of enabling women entrepreneurs to launch, manage and expand their online businesses.