DUBAI: Dubai Founders HQ has partnered with Mastercard, with support from Pemo, to help eligible startups and small and medium enterprises lower costs and manage company spending.
The package provides more than AED 10,000 in value during the first year.
However, this amount is not a cash grant or business loan.
The value comes from several financial tools and benefits, including:
- Up to 2% cashback on eligible foreign exchange and advertising expenses
- Free access to Pemo’s spend management platform
- Mastercard-powered corporate cards
- Selected business offers, partner rewards, and travel benefits
The official announcement did not publish detailed eligibility rules or application instructions. Business owners should wait for further information from Dubai Founders HQ before applying.
One Platform Replaces Receipts and Personal Cards
Many founders use personal cards for company expenses and manually collect receipts from team members.
This can make it difficult to see where money is going and can delay monthly financial reports.
The new system places corporate cards, receipt collection, spending limits, approvals, and real-time expense monitoring in one platform.
It can also connect with accounting services such as QuickBooks, Xero, and Zoho.
Founders may issue separate cards to team members and control how much each person can spend.
Businesses Could Recover Up to AED1,200 Monthly
According to the Dubai Media Office announcement, participating businesses can typically recover between AED500 and AED1,200 per month in expenses that were previously not tracked.
Automated expense management could also reduce administrative work by more than 60 hours each month.
Some businesses may shorten their month-end accounting process from nine days to three days.
Actual savings will depend on each company’s spending and use of the platform.
Package Supports Dubai’s Startup Community
Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation, said the solution gives founders stronger spending controls, better financial visibility, and practical cost savings.
Saeed Al Gergawi of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy said it would help businesses build stronger foundations for long-term growth.
The partnership forms part of Dubai’s work under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and its Strategic Digital City Partnership with Mastercard.
It also strengthens Dubai Founders HQ as a central support platform for entrepreneurs who want to establish and expand businesses from the emirate.
