Overview
Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) is a fully integrated technology park and free zone established in 2004. Spanning 7.2 square kilometres in the Dubailand corridor, DSO is unique among UAE free zones for combining commercial, residential, educational, and retail facilities within a single master-planned community. The zone hosts over 5,000 companies and focuses on fostering technology innovation through its DTEC startup incubator and accelerator programmes.
Key Sectors
DSO serves technology hardware and semiconductor firms, software developers, electronics companies, smart city solutions providers, IoT and embedded systems developers, R&D labs, and IT services companies. The zone also accommodates general trading and professional services firms that support the technology supply chain.
Setup Process
Establishing a company in DSO involves applying through the DSO Authority portal, selecting a business activity and licence type (technology, commercial, industrial, or freelancer), choosing a facility, and submitting incorporation documents. The process is streamlined and typically takes three to five business days. DSO’s DTEC provides plug-and-play incubator space for startups.
Costs and Licensing
DSO licence fees are competitive, starting at approximately AED 10,000 per year for a basic commercial licence. DTEC incubator packages for startups begin at approximately AED 12,000 per year including shared workspace and mentoring. Dedicated office space ranges from AED 40 to AED 80 per square foot per year, significantly below central Dubai free zone rates. Industrial and warehouse plots are available at negotiated rates.
Benefits
DSO provides zero corporate and personal income tax for qualifying activities, 100 percent foreign ownership, full profit and capital repatriation, affordable operating costs compared to central Dubai free zones, and an integrated live-work-play environment. The DTEC incubator offers startup mentoring, investor access, and networking within the technology community.
Ownership Rules
All DSO entities can be 100 percent foreign-owned. No local partner or UAE national sponsor is required. Entity types include Free Zone LLC, branch office, and freelancer permits.
Tax Regime
Qualifying DSO companies pay zero percent corporate tax under the UAE free zone framework. No personal income tax applies. Standard five percent VAT is applicable under federal regulation.
Infrastructure
DSO is a self-contained community featuring commercial towers, light industrial buildings, R&D labs, residential apartments and villas, schools, mosques, retail centres, and parks. The zone connects to Al Ain Road, Emirates Road, and Academic City. On-site amenities reduce commuting needs for employees who live within the development.
Ideal Investor Profile
DSO is ideal for technology startups, R&D-intensive firms, hardware and electronics companies, IoT developers, and SMEs seeking an affordable technology park environment with integrated residential options and strong incubation support at lower costs than central Dubai locations.