New Freezone Incentives—Up to 30% Fee Reduction for Startup
Setting Up a Company in Dubai Silicon Oasis
18,500AED
From
2005
Established
4,000
Companies
15
Max Visas
Moderate
Banking
Business Overview
DSO Overview
About DSO
- Set up in 2005, Dubai Silicon Oasis is a DIEZ-run free zone and economic zone centred on technology
- Co-working for startups at Dtec, along with commercial and industrial property that grows with you
- Roughly 4,000 companies, frequently with running costs below those of premium financial hubs such as DIFC
Who Should Consider It?
- Technology startups
- IT and software firms
- E-commerce and R&D companies
Visas
- Quota: 15 visas at most; as many as 2 with a flexi desk, 3 with a fixed desk, and private office quotas rise with space
- Timeline: roughly 7 days; once documents are complete, the licence and lease are ready in 2 days
- Renewal: AED 3,200 every 2 years
- Available visas: Investor, Employment, Partner, Dependent
- Investor AED 3,200 · Staff AED 3,200 · Family member roughly AED 4,500
- Medical test AED 450 (standard) or AED 850 (VIP) · Emirates ID typing AED 390
Banking
- Level of difficulty: Moderate
- Bank partner: Mashreq Bank (NeoBiz) through Dtec, plus introductions to other banks once licensed
- A corporate account typically takes 2-6+ weeks, based on your business model and shareholder nationality
Key Features
- Physical premises needed: Yes, your visa allowance is linked to a private office or co-working desk
- Shared ownership allowed: Yes, with 100% foreign ownership
- Digital services: Yes, through the DSOA customer portal
- Co-working space: Yes
- Audit: Yes, starting at the second renewal
- Not offered: dual licence, crypto activities, mainland trading or free zone to mainland
Share Capital
- Minimum of AED 100,000 for an FZE/FZCO, but an FZCO could need as little as AED 1; check with DSO
Specialist Ecosystems
- Dtec, the Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Campus
Latest Updates
- Jan 2026: Dubai unveiled plans worth AED 12.8bn to grow the zone through District IO and Block 14; the first stage (phase 1) gets under way in 2026
- Feb 2024: Blue Line extension of the Dubai Metro set to link straight to DSO
- Oct 2023: DSO won recognition at international free zone awards for R&D and SMEs
- Dec 2022: A Dtec tie-up with MBRIF gave startups lease discounts and waived first-year fees
Freezone Cost Calculator
Estimate Your Setup Cost
Why DSO?
Why DSO Stands Out
Affordable Starting Cost
A Dtec service licence costs from AED 5,000 per year, with yearly rent of AED 13,500 on top.
Commercial Office Licence
The licence itself is AED 12,000 per year, while rent is charged by the square metre.
More Space, More Visas
A flexi desk permits as many as 2 visas and a fixed desk as many as 3, while private office quotas rise with size.
Big Community
Over 28,000+ member companies, with 90,000+ people living across the broader area.
Technology Focus
Home to 11 clusters for industries of the future, among them AI, robotics, IoT and Web 3.0.
Banking for Startups
Startups can access business banking via Dtec's tie-up with Mashreq NeoBiz.
Quick Licensing
Once your documents are complete, the licence and lease are ready in 2 days, with the whole process taking roughly 7 days.
Packages & Pricing
DSO Package Prices
Flexi Desk with Dtec Service Licence (0 visas)
AED 5,000 licence · Flexi desk · AED 18,500 to renew (covers licence and office only).
0 visas
Flexi Desk with Dtec Service Licence (2 visas)
AED 5,000 licence · Flexi desk · Roughly AED 22,500 to renew, covering office, insurance and establishment card but not visa renewal.
2 visas
Fixed Desk with Dtec Trade Licence (3 visas)
AED 8,000 licence · Dedicated desk · Roughly AED 26,400 to renew, covering office, insurance and establishment card but not visa renewal.
3 visas
DSO Commercial Office Licence with 1 Visa
AED 12,000 licence · Private office · Roughly AED 28,900 to renew, covering office, insurance and establishment card.
1 visa
Watch Out For
Points to Weigh Up Before Picking DSO
Have Questions?
Common Questions
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