Mazen AlZamil

B2B commerce represents the majority of global trade, yet in emerging markets it remains fragmented, relationship-driven, and largely offline. Most digital initiatives fail because they replicate B2C marketplace models without addressing the core structural gaps in B2B—namely trust, financing, logistics, and supplier integration. This case study presents a practical approach to transforming marketplaces into full industrial ecosystems, based on real experience contributing to the strategy and execution of INDEAL. Instead of focusing only on transactions, the model integrates digital trust (verified suppliers, escrow), embedded financing, logistics orchestration, and data-driven matchmaking into a unified platform. The session will introduce a clear framework for how B2B platforms can evolve into national infrastructure—unlocking industrial growth, improving supply chain efficiency, and enabling SMEs to participate more effectively in the formal economy. It will also highlight key lessons learned, including why many B2B platforms struggle to scale, and what it takes to drive real adoption in markets like MENA and Türkiye. Ultimately, this case study challenges the conventional view of e-commerce and presents a forward-looking model where platforms are not just marketplaces, but engines of economic transformation.