How Dubai became the world’s easiest place to set up and scale a business

Dubai drew a record 1,253 announced greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2025, securing a 7% share of all global greenfield projects and attracting US$8.83 billion in greenfield investment capital while supporting 38,918 jobs, according to recent investment tallies. The emirate also ranked first worldwide for headquarters greenfield projects and for artificial intelligence-related greenfield projects for the fourth consecutive year, and led the cultural and creative industries with 754 projects worth US$3.76 billion. At the same time, the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy supported the establishment and expansion of 1,690 digital startups in 2025, a 39.7% year‑on‑year increase with international companies representing 75% of that total.

“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,” said Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.

Those figures reflect a deliberate push to lower market-entry friction and create clear scaling pathways. Practical measures include 100% foreign ownership, full profit repatriation and more than 20 specialised free zones offering sector-specific infrastructure and services. For entrepreneurs, the Dubai Startup Guide 2025 — published by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy — aggregates information on legal frameworks, visas, funding and support services. Complementing that, Dubai Chambers’ Business in Dubai platform launched with 65 value‑added services delivered through seven accredited partners spanning financial services, marketing and growth, technology services, and testing, inspection and certification.

Dubai’s public‑private feedback mechanisms have also been strengthened. During 2025, Dubai Chamber of Commerce reviewed 54 laws and draft laws with business groups; private‑sector recommendations were adopted at a 60% rate. The chamber established five new Business Councils to represent investors from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Brazil, Slovakia and Peru, and created a Dubai Delivery Business Group to channel industry input into policymaking. These measures align with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), launched in 2023 with a ten‑year objective to double the emirate’s economy by 2033.

Initiatives aimed at helping companies scale are gaining traction. Dubai Chambers is leading a two‑year programme to accelerate adoption of Agentic AI across the business community, offering training and support to integrate AI into operations. In October 2025 the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy launched Dubai Founders HQ — a physical campus and digital platform that brought together more than 25 public and private partners at launch, including venture capital, financial services, government entities, telecommunications and innovation hubs.

• Dubai Founders HQ provides set‑up and growth resources, acceleration programmes, mentorship, investor connections, licensing support and networking opportunities.
• Targets under D33 include enabling 30 startups to become unicorns and helping 400 SMEs expand by 2033.
• Dubai Chamber-supported digital startup growth: 1,690 firms in 2025, 75% international.

Outlook: Dubai’s combination of record greenfield investment, specialised free zones, centralized support platforms and a formal government‑business feedback loop positions the city to convert market entry into longer‑term growth. By coupling legal and operational simplification with targeted programmes such as Agentic AI adoption and Dubai Founders HQ, the emirate aims to sustain investor confidence and drive the D33 targets through the end of the decade.