Dubai is home to a cluster of the world's leading tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM. This area is known as Dubai Internet City, often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of the Middle East." Located close to the iconic Palm Jumeirah artificial island, Dubai Internet City also enjoys excellent accessibility thanks to its proximity to Sheikh Zayed Road, the longest road in the UAE.
Established in 1999, Dubai Internet City hosts 4,000 businesses of various sizes from around the world and approximately 31,000 professionals. To date, it has created over 125,000 direct and indirect jobs. Large corporations use Dubai Internet City as a strategic hub for expanding into the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa, with each company often occupying its own standalone building. The area includes startup incubation centers, as well as collaboration spaces and dedicated accommodations for investors. A 10-minute drive through the well-paved roads reveals a compact village designed for ICT enterprises.
Dubai Internet City is operated by TECOM Group PJSC, the curator behind Dubai's most vibrant 10 business districts. TECOM Group is a publicly listed company that has attracted global businesses to Dubai since 1999. When asked why companies choose Dubai Internet City, Ammar Al Malik, Executive Vice President - Commercial at TECOM Group PJSC and Managing Director of DIC, responded: "Dubai Internet City is one of the region's first technology hubs, offering a comprehensive ecosystem and infrastructure to nurture tech companies. Our district has added $27.2 billion to Dubai's GDP over the past 15 years and contributes towards 65% of Dubai's tech GDP."
Dubai Internet City offers more than just office space-it provides infrastructure and a world-class community comprising global leaders such as Google, Meta, and Nvidia. The district is also home to a dedicated center for the tech vertical of startup incubator "in5", established in 2013 by TECOM Group, to facilitate global networking and mentorship opportunities for startups. in5 has nurtured over 1,100 startups across the technology, media, design, and science sectors that have raised more than $2.4 billion in funding to date.
in5 Tech, based at Dubai Internet City, also plays a key role in guiding startups through Dubai's regulatory landscape. Companies based in Dubai Internet City benefit from streamlined licensing and business setup procedures, including support for outstanding talent obtaining Dubai's prestigious Golden Visa. The visa is available to talented professionals in various fields, ranging from software development and media to design and other creative sectors.
Ammar Al Malik proudly stated, "Dubai Internet City is the launchpad for many international success stories." For example, mobility company Careem was founded here and acquired by Uber in 2020. Souq.com, which grew into the region's largest e-commerce platform, was acquired by Amazon in 2017. Other notable companies nurtured in Dubai Internet City's ecosystem include Tabby, the Middle East's first fintech unicorn, and Dubizzle, a leading digital marketplace for secondhand goods in the MENA region.
He added, "From Dubai, you can reach two-thirds of the world's population within an eight-hour flight. With strong connectivity to key markets in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, Dubai Internet City's strategic advantages and vibrant ecosystem offer a powerful growth path for tech companies aiming for global expansion."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
