How Dubai became the world’s easiest place to set up and scale a business
For companies looking to enter new markets, the hardest part is often not finding an opportunity but navigating the process of getting there. Dubai has built its reputation around removing those barriers,...
For companies looking to enter new markets, the hardest part is often not finding an opportunity but navigating the process of getting there.
Dubai has built its reputation around removing those barriers, combining streamlined business set-up, specialist free zones, global connectivity and a government that actively works with the private sector.
The result is a business ecosystem designed not simply to attract companies, but to help them establish, invest and grow.
The investment figures suggest that proposition is gaining traction.
Record investment points to growing investor confidence
Dubai ranked as the world’s leading destination for greenfield foreign direct investment projects for the fifth consecutive year in 2025, according to data from the Financial Times fDi Markets database.
The emirate attracted 1,253 announced greenfield FDI projects in 2025, achieving year-on-year growth of 10.5%, and secured a record 7% share of all greenfield FDI projects globally.
Those projects represented US$ 8.83 billion in greenfield investment capital and supported the creation of 38,918 jobs, an increase of 18.8% year-on-year.
Dubai also retained its position as the world’s leading destination for headquarters greenfield FDI projects for the fourth consecutive year and ranked first globally for artificial intelligence-related greenfield projects for the fourth year running.
The breadth of that investment is also reflected in the cultural and creative industries. Dubai ranked first globally for greenfield FDI projects in the sector for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, attracting 754 projects and US$ 3.76 billion in greenfield investment capital.
This strong momentum is also reflected in Dubai’s startup ecosystem. Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy supported the establishment and expansion of 1,690 digital startups during 2025, representing year-on-year growth of 39.7%, with international companies accounting for 75% of the total.
Together, these figures point to growing confidence in Dubai as a location not simply to establish a business, but to invest, expand and build for sustainable growth.
That confidence is reinforced by Dubai’s ability to remain agile and responsive amid changing global conditions, while maintaining the stability and predictability businesses need to plan and invest for the long term.
Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, says: “Dubai has built an ecosystem that enables companies to move quickly from identifying an opportunity to establishing and scaling their business. Our focus is on simplifying that journey and connecting entrepreneurs with the services, partners, investors and customers they need to grow successfully from Dubai.”
Preparing businesses for the future
Dubai’s continued focus on areas such as AI and the digital economy is also helping ensure the business environment evolves alongside new opportunities. This commitment is reflected in targeted and practical support for the private sector.
Dubai Chambers is leading a two-year initiative to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI across Dubai’s business community, providing companies with training and support to help them understand the technology and apply it effectively within their operations. The initiative forms part of a broader drive to equip businesses with the capabilities they need as Dubai continues to build a more innovative and future-ready economy.
Lowering barriers to market entry
For companies entering a new market, the practical question is how much friction they will face once they arrive. Dubai offers 100 per cent foreign ownership, full profit repatriation and more than 20 specialised free zones, providing dedicated infrastructure, services and support for businesses across different sectors.
For entrepreneurs, the Dubai Startup Guide 2025, published by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, provides practical information on legal frameworks, visas, funding and support services.
Meanwhile, Dubai Chambers’ Business in Dubai platform brings together corporate services from trusted providers to support companies seeking to establish, grow and expand their operations. The platform was launched with 65 value-added services through seven accredited partners across financial services, marketing and growth, technology services, and testing, inspection and certification.
The aim is to make the journey from identifying an opportunity to establishing and growing a business more straightforward.
A government-business feedback loop
Ease of doing business does not end when a company is registered. Dubai’s approach also puts private-sector engagement at the centre of how the business environment develops.
During 2025, Dubai Chamber of Commerce reviewed 54 laws and draft laws in collaboration with Business Groups, with private-sector recommendations achieving a 60 per cent adoption rate.
These groups provide a formal channel through which companies and industry representatives can raise issues and contribute to discussions around legislation and regulation.
This proactive approach to advocacy creates a feedback loop between businesses and policymakers, contributing to an agile regulatory environment capable of evolving alongside new industries and business models.
It also supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which was launched in 2023 with a ten-year goal to double the size of the emirate’s economy by 2033.
The chamber also established five new Business Councils during the year to represent the interests of investors from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Brazil, Slovakia, and Peru, as well as the Dubai Delivery Business Group.
From starting a company to scaling one
For companies that have successfully entered a new market, the next challenge is growth. Dubai’s ecosystem is increasingly focused on helping businesses make that transition, with initiatives designed to connect founders to the capital, expertise and networks they need to scale.
Launched in October 2025 by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Dubai Founders HQ brings founders, investors, corporates and ecosystem enablers together through a physical campus and digital platform. More than 25 public and private-sector partners had joined at the time of launch, spanning venture capital, financial services, government entities, telecommunications, and innovation hubs.
The initiative provides entrepreneurs with access to business set-up and growth resources, acceleration programmes, mentorship, investor connections, licensing support and networking opportunities. It also connects founders with Dubai’s wider network of free zones, accelerators and incubators.
The objective is to create a more direct route from starting a company to finding the capital, connections and support needed to scale.
Dubai Founders HQ also supports the wider objectives of D33, including enabling 30 startups to become unicorns and helping 400 SMEs expand by 2033.
For companies considering where to build their next operation, the proposition is therefore broader than a fast route to incorporation.
It is an ecosystem designed to reduce friction at multiple stages: entering a market, operating within its rules, accessing infrastructure and networks, engaging with government and ultimately scaling.
Dubai’s continued leadership in attracting greenfield FDI suggests that international investors and companies are responding to that proposition.
Dubai is not simply making it easier for companies to enter. It is creating an environment in which they can establish, invest and build their next stage of growth.
