Dubai for business

Browse information on Dubai's business landscape and how to start or move your business to Dubai.

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Q: What is the most common business in Dubai?

Small to medium size enterprises make up 90% of the economy. Key sectors driving economic growth include transportation, the financial industry, wholesale and retail trade, accommodation and food service, real estate, and manufacturing.

Q: Can I start a business in Dubai as a foreigner?

Yes, foreigners can start a business in Dubai and own 100% of their business.

Q: What are the potential business opportunities in Dubai?

Some of the potential business opportunities in Dubai include IT solutions, manufacturing business, e-commerce, logistics, digital marketing, digital printing, tourism services, consultancy service, cloud kitchens, automotive, real estate, F&B, retail, fashion and beauty.

Q: Is Dubai a good place to start a business?

Dubai is the best city to start a business in. It offers a wide range of commercially affluent services, including direct foreign investments, innovative expansions and technological advancements.

Business efficiency

UAE ranked first globally for business efficiency by IMD World Competitiveness Rankings.

11th

Ease of doing business

UAE ranked 11th globally in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business in 2019.

Dubai is a pioneering centrefor start-up investment across MENA

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Dubai is a pioneering centre for start-up investment across MENA. Home to one-third of MENA’s investors, the city is the start-up nerve centre of a region which in 2018 saw US$893 million in start-up funding, a year-on-year increase of 31%. BECO Capital is one of the early stage investors and looks at 1,500 investment opportunities a year - testimony to the growth potential of the region’s ecosystem.
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Kevin Dallas, Corporate Vice President of AI and Intelligent Cloud Business Development, Microsoft, stresses the importance of transforming business with A.I. at Dubai’s ‘A.I. Everything’ Summit 2019. Microsoft’s A.I. Pulse report also revealed that UAE organisations have a significant lead in A.I. adoption rates when compared with global peers. Some 70% of double-digit growth companies in the UAE intend using A.I. within the coming year to improve decision-making, as opposed to 46% worldwide.