ADGM's Tech Startup License enables entrepreneurs to set up in the UAE quickly and easily.
Are you a tech company looking to set up in the UAE? ADGM’s Tech Start-up Licence might be interesting to consider, as it allows entrepreneurs to set up in the UAE at a very competitive cost with the need for a physical office.
With the Tech Start-up Licence, businesses can hit the ground running and take immediate advantage of ADGM’s community of advisors and business partners, its supportive environment and its internationally recognised legal and commercial frameworks.
ADGM's licence is categorized in two stages; seed and emergent.
Startups can also apply to the Hub71 Incentive Program which provides up to 100% subsidies on housing, office space and health insurance for up to 25 employees, for up to three years.
Eligibility for the incentivised licence is determined at the time of application and the duration is fixed.
For example, if a startup is approved for the seed stage incentivised licence, it will have two years in seed stage and will automatically move into the emergent stage in its third year of operations in ADGM regardless of the number of full time employees.
Who can apply?
Tech Startup Licence benefits
The range of benefits of the Tech Startup Commercial Licence include:
Startup stages, criteria and incentive benefits
Seed | Emergent | ||
Stage of maturity | Number of FTEs* | 1 - 10 | 11 - 50 |
Year since first registration in UAE | Does not exceed three (3) years | Does not exceed five (5) years | |
Incentive packages | Incentivised licence fee | USD 700 P.A. | USD 4,000 P.A. |
Duration of incentive | 2 Years | 3 Years | |
Office space requirements | 1 Desk space+ in an incubator / co-working space domiciled in ADGM | 1 Desk space+ in an incubator / co-working space domiciled in ADGM | |
Visa eligibility | 1.5 Visas for every desk space | 1.5 Visas for every desk space |
* FTEs: Full time employees + Dedicated office or desk is required.
NB: The ADGM Tech Startup Licence is not available for technology service providers. To learn more, check out ADGM's website.
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