Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

Dubai aims to become Start-Up capital of the world

Dubai aims to become Start-Up capital of the world

With unrivalled access to the globe, Dubai is seeking to make itself the start-up capital of the world. We meet the entrepreneurs, incubators and analysts to find out why the start-up ecosystem in the city is thriving.

As a hub connecting the east and west, Dubai offers unrivalled access to the rest of the world and the diverse population within. Formerly dependent on oil, it now forms less than 1% of the city's GDP.

Dubai Start-Up Hub


Dubai Chamber is a semi-government organisation that offers support to those wanting to set up a business. Its entrepreneurship arm, Dubai Start-Up Hub, assisted over 2000 entrepreneurs last year.

Natalia Sycheva, the Senior Manager of Entrepreneurship at Dubai Chamber told Euronews that Entrepreneurs are no different than any other person in the world who is “looking for a nice environment where you have access to the entertainment, educational facilities and definitely having that ease of setting up the business”.

In Q1 of this year, Dubai economy issued over 15,000 new licences. That is a growth of 19 per cent compared to Q1 of 2020. The licences issued in Q1 this year were for professional, commercial and tourism and industrial activities.

Success story


Since 2019, athleisure brand L'Couture has grown from local success to global business with its own store in the city.

Lyndsay Doran, Founder & CEO of L’Couture, set up the business after she saw “a huge gap in the market” for comfortable, high quality, but affordable activewear.

Back in 2019, Lyndsay Doran had never opened a business before.

“So I was just learning on the job. But I think it's been very supportive here as a female founder,” she said.

A nurturing environment


Dubai is keen not just to increase the number of start-ups, but also to nurture and develop those businesses and to build more success stories.

Data platform Magnitt tracks every investment that takes place in the venture capital and Start-Up space.

The Founder & CEO of MAGNITT, Philip Bahoshy, said governments and corporates at all levels are very interested in innovation and start-ups.

“So when they're trying to make policies, when they're trying to identify potential investments, when start-ups are looking at their competitors, that's the data that we're trying to aggregate and help educate people in this space,” he told Euronews.

Incubator Intelak was set up to support and launch start-ups in the aviation, travel and tourism industry.

Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director of Development & Investments at DTCM said they have “awarded about 1.4m AED (310,000 euros) in equity free seed money to these businesses.”

One of Intelak's success stories was Dubz, a business that helps travellers clear their luggage before heading to the airport.

Yousuf Lootah said “We helped them with the market research, finding what the right sweet price point is. Due to that initiative, they got a majority stake bought by Dnata Group into them, and that opened up 90 global hubs.”

An attractive offer


Dubai has just issued guidelines on 100 per cent ownership for foreign investors.

The UAE also has one of the lowest tax rates across its competitor countries with nil rate of corporate tax and five per cent VAT.

The Emirates vision is to embrace a future dominated by technological and research-based industries and become the Start-Up Capital of the world.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
×