New Freezone Incentives—Up to 30% Fee Reduction for Startup
Setting Up a Company at SRTIP, Sharjah
5,500AED
From
2016
Established
10,000
Companies
10
Max Visas
Moderate
Banking
Business Overview
SRTIP Overview
About SRTIP
- Set up in 2016 beside University City, a Sharjah free zone driven by research
- Designed to bring government, industry and universities together
- Roughly 10,000 companies, more than 1,500+ activities, dual licensing and use of prototyping facilities and labs
Who Should Consider It?
- Technology startups
- Applied-research and R&D businesses
- E-commerce firms and consultancies
Visas
- Quota: 10 visas at most; as many as 8 with SME offices and 10+ with Ecosystem Offices
- Timeline: roughly 14 days; a licence takes 7-10 working days, or 2-5 business days through the accelerator if paperwork is in order
- Renewal: AED 3,510 every 2 years
- Available visas: Investor, Employment, Partner, Dependent
- Investor AED 3,510 · Staff AED 3,510 · Family member AED 3,500
- Medical test AED 260 (standard) or AED 700 (VIP) · Emirates ID typing AED 300
Banking
- Level of difficulty: Moderate
- Bank partners: Wio Bank, RAKBANK, ADCB, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq, Emirates NBD
- A corporate account typically takes 2-6 weeks; non-resident setups and those without visas meet more obstacles
Key Features
- Dual licence and selling onshore: Yes, using the dual licence route SRTIP offers
- Free zone to mainland access: Yes
- Physical premises needed: No for starter setups, which come with co-working access and a bundled lease
- Shared ownership allowed: Yes, as many as 5 shareholders under the current AI Hub and SPARK deals
- Digital services: Yes, upload documents and follow progress live
- Co-working space: Yes
- Audit: Yes, and since 15 January 2024 only reports by firms SRTIP has approved are accepted
- Crypto-friendly: No specific licensing for virtual assets
Share Capital and Payments
- Most licences need no share capital
- Full 100% foreign ownership without a local partner
- Selected visa packages can be paid in four instalments via the SRTIP Accelerator
Specialist Ecosystems
- AI Hub at SPARK
- SoiLab, a prototyping centre
- The Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator
- The Sharjah Business Angels Network
Latest Updates
- August 2025: A new page titled 'Go Global from Sharjah's Innovation Hub' went live, covering online setup, more than 1,500+ activities and openly listed package prices
- May 2025: Presented its industrial innovation at the Make it in the Emirates 2025 event, alongside Invest in Sharjah
- March 2025: Held a workshop with Samsung covering AI, smart technology and innovation
- January 2025: ICPM 2025 took place at Sharjah Innovation Park, strengthening its medtech and healthcare credentials
- September 2024: Exhibited new ideas in vertical farming during the 2024 Global Vertical Farming Show
Freezone Cost Calculator
Estimate Your Setup Cost
Why SRTIP?
Why SRTIP Stands Out
Affordable Starting Cost
The SPARK page lists deals from AED 3,999, while a typical package without visas costs roughly AED 5,500.
Over 1,500+ Activities
A broad range of activities, letting you freely combine service and commercial options.
Dual Licences
Compared with many budget zones in the Northern Emirates, dual licensing offers wider scope to work on the mainland.
Ownership That Suits Founders
Full 100% foreign ownership, no need for a local partner, and most licences carry no compulsory paid-up capital.
Space to Expand
Take as many as 8 visas with an SME office, or 10 or more with an Ecosystem Office.
University Network
Neighbours 22+ research and academic institutions in University City, a plus for AI, engineering and applied research work.
Online Setup
Upload and track everything through a digital portal; a licence takes 7-10 working days, or 2-5 through the accelerator.
Specialist Ecosystems
SoiLab, the AI Hub at SPARK, Sharjah's Business Angels Network, plus Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator.
Packages & Pricing
SRTIP Package Prices
General Trading Package Without Visas
AED 5,500 licence · Virtual office · AED 5,500 to renew. An earlier 3-year option was promoted for AED 13,200 (roughly AED 4,400 per year).
0 visas
SPARK Starter Offer, 1 Visa
AED 10,990 licence · Flexi desk · Allow roughly AED 14,690 to renew (the AED 13,990 standard package with health insurance added).
1 visa
SPARK Starter Offer, 2 Visas
AED 14,695 licence · Flexi desk · Allow roughly AED 19,195 to renew (the AED 17,795 standard package with insurance added).
2 visas
SPARK AI Hub Launch Offer, 3 Visas
AED 4,500 licence · Innovation Lounge · Roughly AED 11,100 to renew; the launch discount applies in year one only.
3 visas
SPARK AI Hub Launch Offer, 4 Visas
AED 6,250 licence · Innovation Lounge · Roughly AED 15,300 to renew; the launch discount applies in year one only.
4 visas
Watch Out For
Points to Weigh Up Before Picking SRTIP
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Common Questions
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