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Business opportunites in Dubai & beyond

MADE IN DUBAI,
THE WORLD'S MOST DYNAMIC CITY

DUBAI: THE BUSINESS AND INNOVATION HUB OF THE WORLD

Dubai was the first to kick-start a regional tech movement and remains at the forefront of the tech & startup ecosystem across the fast-evolving Middle East, Africa & Asia.

  • #1 For Starting a New Business

    UAE emerged as the best place to start a new business in 2022 with a NECI score of 6.8, in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report by the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association.

  • #1 For Innovation

    Dubai’s ranked top in the Arab World in the 2021 Global Innovation Index.

Dubai's shorter-term ambitions include attracting 300+ new digital businesses to Dubai by the end of 2024, being home to over 20 unicorns by 2030, and having a digital economy worth well over US$100 billion annually by 2031.

A HYPER-CONNECTED WEST-EAST MEETING POINT

Dubai’s geographical advantages outnumber many global cities – making it an epicentre of economic activity, and trillions of dollars of trade and investment flowing between Europe, Americas & Asia.

  • 2.5 billion

    people live within a four-hour flight from Dubai

  • Busiest Airport in the world

    Dubai International Airport welcomed 29.1 million passengers in 2021 alone

  • 9thBusiest Airport in the world

    Jebel Ali Port is the biggest port in the Middle East and 9th busiest port globally

  • $7 billion government investment in infrastructure and transport in 2022

    One of the world’s highest citywide infrastructure investments inviting international businesses to set up base in Dubai.

SERVE THE WORLD’S LARGEST ECONOMIES, FROM DUBAI

DUBAI’S TOP 5 TRADING PARTNERS

USA

US$ 8.7 billion

Switzerland

US$ 6.75 billion

Saudi Arabia

US$ 8.3 billion

India

US$ 18.27 billion

China

US$ 23.6 billion

TOP INVESTING COUNTRIES

UK

France

USA

Saudi Arabia

India

ATTRACTING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT

FDI surged 36% in 2021 to reach $4.3 billion
Technology sector received 56.8% of FDI

The world’s first 3D printed building in DIFC in Dubai.

A SUPERCITY OF TOMORROW

  • US$ 12.8 TRILLION GDP

    Dubai’s projected combined GDP by 2030.

  • HYPERLOOP ONE

    World’s fastest transit system to move freight being developed

  • 75 KEY INITIATIVES

    Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 seeks to firmly establish the city as a knowledge-based, sustainable and innovation-centric hub.

  • 25% autonomous transport

    Dubai Autonomous Transport Strategy aims to transition 25% f the city’s network to autonomous modes by 2030.

  • US$ 125 million Fintech investment

    This is the expected annual investment growth by 2022 in the fintech sector alone.

  • 24,662 new business licenses by Dubai in Q1 2022

    Start-ups in the UAE raised $699 million in the first half of 2022

WORLD’S #1 RANKED DESTINATION FOR ENTREPRENEURS

  • UAE ranked #1

    In Global Entrepreneurship Index 2022 – outperforming major global economies like the USA, UK, Japan, South Korea & many EU nations

  • 0%

    Federal corporate income tax & personal income tax

  • No

    Foreign exchange control regulations

  • 10 Year

    Golden Visa for entrepreneurs

  • 100%

    Foreign ownership

  • No

    Social security levies for foreign employees

A DYNAMIC MARKETPLACE, BUILT FOR THE FUTURE-MAKERS

A GLOBAL BENCHMARK MAKER

  • PAPERLESS GOVERNMENT

    The world’s first paperless government with 1800+ digital services

  • #1 IN ARAB WORLD

    in Global Innovation Index

  • #1 IN THE ME & #4 GLOBALLY

    to launch 5G network and 6G project

UAE TECH MARKET SIZE & INVESTMENTS

  • $8.2 BILLION

    IT spending in UAE by 2023

  • UP TO US$ 1 BILLION

    investments in UAE Cloud Data Centers by 2026

  • AED 353 BILLION

    AI’s contribution to UAE’s GDP by 2030

START IN UAE, GROW GLOBALLY

With a well-developed startup ecosystem, UAE dominates as the trusted tech hub for startup growth, regionally and globally.

  • LEADING THE MENA REGION IN FUNDING & INVESTMENT

    22 OUT OF 50

    of MENA’s topmost funded startups are in UAE

    60% STARTUP FUNDING

    in MENA gone to UAE startups in 2021 with $1.8 billion raised

    90 INVESTMENT FUNDS

    & 12 top-ranked business incubators in UAE

  • UAE STARTUPS HAVE DRAWN INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

    15% investment from
    USA & 13% from JAPAN

    41 UAE SCALEUPS

    expanded beyond the MENA region

    20 UAE SCALEUPS

    acquired by international corporates

PUT YOUR STARTUP ON THE MAP

Expand North Star is your gateway to the world of opportunities in Dubai, the Middle East and beyond!

Get in touch with our team today to find out how to be part of Expand North Star in October this year.

Contact our team