It should come as a surprise to no one to learn that the\nglobal IT industry is a multi-billion-dollar business. The IT services market\nalone is estimated to reach USD 748bn in revenue by 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s no wonder why the industry is so popular with\nentrepreneurs looking to stake their claim in such a vast market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here in the UAE, IT can be just as lucrative. Our USD 8bn IT\nmarket is only expected to grow in coming years. So much so that it is ranked\nas the most attractive IT market in the MEA region according to Fitch\nSolutions\u2019 recent regional IT index.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And a burgeoning market is far from the only reason to start\nan IT company in Dubai, UAE. An attractive zero percent tax regime, a strategic\nglobal location, a welcoming and supportive business environment are among the\nmany other benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s more, with the right guidance, it can be easy to\nstart an IT company in this part of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to open an IT company?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to open an IT company in the UAE, there are a\nfew tasks that you\u2019ll need to check off before you come to applying for your\nlicense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first is to choose your business activity. There are\nmany IT-related business activities permitted in the UAE. A company formation\nspecialist can help you choose the ones that best align with your intended\nbusiness model. It\u2019s important that you decide this upfront as it may have a\nbearing on the type of setup that\u2019s best for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next step is to choose a company name. When making this\ndecision, you\u2019ll need to keep in mind that the UAE has a set of somewhat\nidiosyncratic naming conventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a guide: Your company name should not include any\noffensive or blasphemous language or make reference to known organisations and\ncorporations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are going to include your personal name in your\nbusiness name, it must be in full \u2013 no abbreviations or initials. You must also\ncheck that your chosen business name is available to be registered. A company\nformation expert can do this for you as part of the license application\nprocess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With these important decisions out of the way, it\u2019s time for\nanother \u2013 do you wish to set up in a free zone or in the mainland?<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are advantages to each setup. If you establish your\nbusiness in the mainland, you are free to trade directly with the local market,\nwithout using the services of a local agent. You can also bid for government\ncontracts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you set up in a free zone, you can take advantage of 100%\nexemption from customs tax. UAE free zone business owners also have full\nfreedom to repatriate all invested capital and profits. There are also no\nforeign exchange controls and currency restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Applying for your UAE IT license<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have chosen a free zone setup, you should make your\nlicense application to the relevant managing authority. If you have opted for\nthe mainland, then you can apply to the Dubai Department of Economic\nDevelopment or equivalent in your chosen emirate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In both cases, the application process follows the same\nbasic steps. Whether making your application yourself, or through a company\nformation agent, you are usually only required to provide a few details and\nsome standard documentation, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best free zone to start an IT company<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many overseas entrepreneurs choose to do business from UAE\nfree zones due to the easy incorporation process, affordable licensing packages\nand tax advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you choose to go down this route, it is important to find\na free zone that meets your needs and your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each free zone offers its own unique set of advantages.\nFujairah Creative City, for example, allows you to establish your business from\noutside the UAE and offers a range of business services to help you get up and\nrunning. The free zone\u2019s on-site concierge can assist with visa applications,\ndocument attestation, and bank account opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the cost of setting up an IT company in Dubai?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The exact costs of launching an IT company in Dubai will\ndepend on both the nature and size of your business, as well as your company\nlocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are looking for a ballpark figure, Fujairah Creative\nCity is a good example. An IT services license here, with eligibility for one\nvisa, costs just AED 22,000. Add use of the on-site coworking facility and that\nfigure rises to AED 24,775.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting up your IT company in Dubai<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve got the right skills and are armed with the right\nknowledge, setting up an IT company in Dubai doesn\u2019t have to be overly complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That being said, it does require a level of prior knowledge\nof the process. What\u2019s more, it is important to note that the application\nprocess is only straightforward if your license application is complete at the\ntime of submission and free from errors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It should come as a surprise to no one to learn that the global IT industry is a multi-billion-dollar business. The IT services market alone is estimated to reach USD 748bn in revenue by 2020. It\u2019s no wonder why the industry is so popular with entrepreneurs looking to stake their claim in such a vast market. Here in the UAE, IT can be just as lucrative. Our USD 8bn IT market is only expected to grow in coming years. So much so that it is ranked as the most attractive IT market in the MEA region according to Fitch Solutions\u2019 […]<\/p>\n