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For IT company setup in Dubai, the established address is Dubai Internet City, where software and IT services licences cost AED 15,000 a year plus a lease. If you are an early stage start-up, three cheaper routes exist with conditions: the in5 Tech centre, the DIFC Innovation licence and ADGM's tech start-up licence in Abu Dhabi. Outside the two big cities, SRTIP, Masdar City and Innovation City publish lower starting packages.
All seven zones sit in the table above. Each one is explained below, with what you get for the price and what you give up.
Two kinds of tech zone
Some zones sell a normal company licence with tech activities on it. Others sell a subsidised start-up licence that only some firms qualify for. The second kind is cheaper at the start but has an end date or an entry test. Read the conditions first, then compare prices.
Dubai
Dubai Internet City
Software companies in Dubai Internet City sit in one of four main segments: Internet and Multimedia, Software, Telecommunication and Network, and IT Services. Each costs AED 15,000 a year for up to 5 activities. A Data Centre segment is also AED 15,000, with 3 activities. Registration is AED 3,500 once, share capital AED 10,000, and setup takes 7 working days. Visas follow your lease: 1 visa per 60 sq ft.
The in5 Tech centre inside the zone is the start-up door. Firms accepted by the in5 committee pay AED 1,000 a year for the licence for 3 years, no registration fee, AED 1,500 per visa and no visa deposit. Three agencies quote AED 22,540 to AED 50,000 for a standard first year (prices published by the agencies, checked ). See Dubai Internet City.
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Dubai Silicon Oasis is a 7 sq km technology park run by DIEZ, with more than 40,000 registered company members. It issues Service, Trade and Industrial licences to FZCOs and branches, and offers flexi desks up to light industrial units. DSO publishes no fee table, only a AED 100,000 minimum start-up capital. Three agencies put the licence at AED 12,000 to AED 15,000 a year, and the desk or office DSO requires comes on top. Watch for IFZA packages sold under a DSO label. More on Dubai Silicon Oasis.
DIFC Innovation licence
DIFC's Innovation licence is for tech firms such as AI, fintech, proptech, gaming and healthtech businesses. It costs USD 1,500 a year plus USD 100 registration, and a coworking desk at the Innovation Hub is USD 250 a month, billed yearly. The first desk allows up to 4 visas. The limits are clear: it does not cover DFSA-regulated activities, the discount runs 2 years and then to year 7 only if you have 10 or fewer staff, and after that the fee is USD 12,000. See DIFC.
Abu Dhabi
ADGM tech start-up licence
ADGM's tech start-up licence costs USD 1,500 a year at registration and for two renewals, plus a USD 300 yearly data protection fee. You need a Hub71 eligibility letter, an ADGM office and a lease. A dedicated desk gives 3 visas. After the 3 years the licence moves to the standard non-financial category, or the financial one for fintech. Hub71 is a programme in ADGM, not a free zone. Details on the ADGM page.
Masdar City Free Zone
Masdar City's Startup package is AED 7,000 a year plus VAT, with up to 2 activities, no office and no visa quota on its licence page. A different Masdar page shows 1 visa at the same price, so check. The Innovation package, at AED 12,000, adds a flexi desk lease, up to 3 activities and a 2 visa quota. Masdar lists more than 600 activities.
Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah
SRTIP, Sharjah
SRTIP, the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, has the lowest published tech entry. SPARK Starter is AED 3,999 a year with co-working, up to 3 activities, one shareholder and no visa, marked limited time. With 1 visa it is AED 10,990. SPARK Growth, at AED 6,499, raises the limits to 5 shareholders and 5 activities and adds corporate tax registration. Licences take 7 to 10 working days, through a digital portal. See SRTIP.
Innovation City, Ras Al Khaimah
Innovation City, formerly RAK DAO, calls itself an AI-focused free zone and offers over 200 custom technology activities. The Idea package is AED 6,600 a year with a shared desk, 10 activities and no visa. Seed, with 1 visa, is AED 13,200. Each extra visa is AED 4,400 including medical and Emirates ID. Renewal costs the same as the package. More on Innovation City.
Choose by your stage
- Choose Dubai Internet City if you sell software or IT services to enterprise clients and want a dedicated tech zone address in Dubai.
- Choose in5 Tech if you are early stage and can pass the in5 committee.
- Choose DIFC Innovation if you build fintech or AI and plan to stay under 10 staff for a while.
- Choose ADGM if you join Hub71 and want an Abu Dhabi base.
- Choose DSO if you need space from a desk to a light industrial unit in one Dubai park.
- Choose SRTIP, Masdar or Innovation City if cost comes first and you can work outside central Dubai.
If your product touches virtual assets, compare the best free zone for crypto page as well, because approvals differ.
Use the form on this page to tell us your product, team size and the visas you want. We are an independent free zone directory, not DIEZ, TECOM, DIFC, ADGM or any other authority. A licensed setup partner or the zone receives your request and sends the quote.
Sources
- DDA licence categories decision (PDF): Dubai Internet City segment fees and in5 terms
- Dubai Silicon Oasis, open a business: licence and entity types
- DIFC Innovation licence offer: fees, eligibility, desk and visas
- ADGM tech start-up overview: licence conditions and visas
- Masdar City licence and registration: packages
- SRTIP start your business: SPARK packages
- Innovation City packages: package prices
