On the occasion of the United Nations’ Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day, Pathfinder Global is offering all retail SMEs in the UAE and wider Middle East region a chance to join its flagship platform, RetailGPT, free of charge. The goal is to democratize AI in retail and give every business, big or small, an equal opportunity to compete and grow.
RetailGPT, the GenAI platform developed by retail technology leader Pathfinder, is transforming the way businesses understand and engage customers. By collecting real-time, consented data directly from shoppers, the platform enables retailers to deliver personalized, data-driven experiences previously accessible only to large tech-savvy enterprises.
“We believe retail intelligence should not be a luxury. It should be the baseline for every business,” said Sadique Ahmed, CEO of Pathfinder Global. “RetailGPT gives neighborhood stores, small boutiques, and family-run outlets the same digital tools that global retailers use to thrive in today’s highly competitive market.”
Why Now?
RetailGPT operates on a foundational principle which is personalization with permission. To deliver meaningful product recommendations and rewards to shoppers, the platform must first understand them. This requires data, and that begins with retailers choosing to list on the platform.
“AI can’t personalize what it doesn’t know,” added Ahmed. “By joining the RetailGPT ecosystem, SMEs become discoverable, searchable, and ready to engage customers with intelligence, just like the big players.”
SMEs make up more than 80% of retail businesses in the region, yet many lack access to affordable, intelligent digital tools. RetailGPT bridges this gap by offering:
● Free listings for retailers who onboard by September 30, 2025
● A mobile-first interface to manage orders, customer data, and promotions
● Consent-based data collection to respect shopper privacy and comply with local laws
● Personalized shopper insights to boost loyalty and conversion
● Instant rewards and loyalty integrations powered by AI
An Invitation to the Underdogs
In a region where large-format retailers often dominate digital commerce, RetailGPT is creating space for local stores to be seen, heard, and chosen - on equal digital footing.
Pathfinder’s goal is to onboard 100,000 retailers from the region by the end of 2025, as part of its larger vision to reach 1 million across the Middle East and South Asia by 2028.
Retailers can contact Aya Mohamed on aya.m@pathfinder.global to schedule a free onboarding session.
“Small businesses are the soul of our communities. With RetailGPT, we’re giving them not just a seat at the table, but the tools to build the table themselves,” said Ahmed.
