More Than 60 UAE Founders Gather for Zoho Commerce E-commerce Masterclass in Dubai

Dubai, UAE – More than 60 product-based business owners, D2C founders, marketplace sellers, and e-commerce entrepreneurs came together at DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai Al Jaddaf for the Zoho Commerce E-commerce Masterclass, a curated learning and networking event designed to help SMEs navigate the rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.

The event was organised by Zoho Commerce, with WE Global Network serving as Community Partner, responsible for curating both the attendee and speaker lineup to ensure a room filled with relevant founders, operators, and industry experts.

Unlike traditional networking events, the masterclass focused heavily on practical insights, founder experiences, and real-world strategies currently driving growth in the UAE e-commerce sector.

Understanding the Future of E-commerce

The event opened with a presentation by Bilna Sandeep, Founder of WE Global Network, who shared an overview of the current e-commerce landscape and emerging trends shaping the future of online retail.

Her session explored how consumer expectations are evolving, the growing role of social commerce, the importance of customer retention, and how automation and AI are becoming increasingly accessible to businesses of all sizes.

One key takeaway was that e-commerce success today is no longer reserved for large brands. Smaller businesses that move quickly, build trust, and focus on customer experience now have more opportunities than ever to compete effectively.

Industry Experts Share What Is Actually Working

One of the most anticipated sessions of the day was the expert panel discussion featuring:

• Lina Gallagher
• Victoria Myers
• Vasim Salim

The panel explored what is actually working in UAE e-commerce in 2026, covering topics including customer acquisition, retention strategies, influencer marketing, paid advertising, automation, and scaling online businesses.

Attendees actively participated throughout the discussion, asking questions and sharing their own experiences, creating a highly interactive and engaging atmosphere.

Many participants later described the panel as one of the highlights of the event, praising the practical and transparent insights shared by the speakers.

A Founder Story That Resonated

Adding a personal dimension to the event, entrepreneur Aswin Nayanar delivered a candid session about his own business journey, sharing lessons learned, challenges faced, and key decisions that shaped his growth as a founder.

His presentation resonated strongly with attendees, particularly early-stage entrepreneurs who appreciated hearing a real-world perspective from someone who had successfully navigated the ups and downs of building a business.

Strong Interest in Zoho Commerce Demonstration

The event concluded with a live demonstration of Zoho Commerce, showcasing how businesses can manage and scale their online stores through an integrated e-commerce platform.

The response from attendees was particularly encouraging. Participants remained actively engaged throughout the demonstration, asking numerous questions about functionality, implementation, and practical use cases for their own businesses.

The high level of interaction suggested strong interest from business owners seeking scalable solutions to support their growth plans.

Meaningful Networking Beyond the Sessions

Beyond the educational content, the event also created valuable opportunities for founders to connect with one another.

Over networking breaks and lunch, attendees exchanged ideas, discussed partnerships, shared challenges, and explored potential collaborations with fellow entrepreneurs from across the UAE.

The curated nature of the event ensured that conversations remained highly relevant, allowing participants to build meaningful relationships with like-minded business owners.

Positive Feedback from Attendees

Feedback received following the event highlighted the value participants found in both the content and the networking opportunities.

Attendees described the event as:

"A wonderfully organised event. Kudos to the team for delivering it with such enthusiasm and passion."

"A fabulous event and a very meaningful discussion. I've taken lots of notes to implement."

"The session was very fruitful and worth the time."

"Loved the platform and the networking today."

"Absolutely loved it. Thank you for making us part of it."

A Successful First Collaboration

The E-commerce Masterclass marked the first collaboration between Zoho Commerce and WE Global Network, bringing together a highly engaged community of founders and business owners under one roof.

With strong attendance, active participation, positive attendee feedback, and enthusiastic engagement during the product demonstration, the event demonstrated the growing appetite among UAE SMEs for practical, founder-focused learning experiences that combine education, technology, and meaningful business connections.