8 Reasons to Build Your Business in Dubai

Running a business can be difficult, but it’s even harder when you’re not in the right place. Dubai is an amazing city for entrepreneurs with low taxes, grants for startups, a lower cost of living, and plenty of connectivity. The best part about starting your business in Dubai is that you’ll have access to all these benefits while still being able to enjoy the lifestyle that comes with living in one of the greatest cities in the world.

Let’s jump into 9 reasons to build your startup in Dubai.

If you’re considering starting your business in Dubai, one of the first things to keep in mind is that it’s easy for foreigners to get residency visas and work permits. Even if you’re a national of a country with lots of treaties, many nations around the world are not willing to give entrepreneurs visas without lots of upfront investment and complicated paperwork.

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In your early days, you may not be thinking about tax and finance, but as your business starts to scale and your revenue grows, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve picked the right jurisdiction. Tax is a big part of this and it’s important to consider the tax implications of setting up a company and living in a country.

Dubai is incredibly business-friendly. There are no corporate or personal income taxes as a resident. This means that once your business is registered in the UAE, you’ll pay no tax on profits. This means more money in your pocket for every sale you make or client you land. This low-tax environment makes it very cheap to both run a startup here and live here which we’ll touch upon later.

There are also huge benefits for e-commerce companies as free zones allow you to pay no import tax on goods to be sold.

Usually, so-called tax-havens are problematic as they have poor reputations and many financial institutions are not willing to work with you due to the risk. Dubai is known for its high standards of financial regulation and compliance which means you receive all the benefits of a tax-free and private business environment while being backed by the strong reputation of the city and country.

When you think of Dubai you think of expensive cars, designer clothes, and multi-millionaires everywhere you look. You can find all of that here but Dubai can be an incredibly affordable city.

You can find high-end apartments in Downtown for less than you would pay in Manhattan or central London. Public transport and basic living can also be incredibly affordable. You really are able to spend as much or as little money as you want.

Once combined with the huge tax benefits, running a business in Dubai offers a great lifestyle for entrepreneurs at all stages.

If you’re running a business involving physical products, logistics infrastructure will be a major part of your decision.

Dubai has some of the world’s best shipping infrastructure. The two airports offer speedy cargo access to global markets and the Port of Jebel Ali is the world’s 9th busiest port.

Dubai is centrally located with great connections to the Far East, Gulf region, and Europe making it a perfect hub for logistics outside of the Americas.

The internet infrastructure in Dubai is also excellent, with low latency and high speeds making it easy to run an online business or even set up remote offices across the globe.

If you run a service business, acquiring talent is often a major challenge. Dubai is described as a ‘knowledge economy’ filled with skilled workers. This makes it extremely easy to find some of the world’s best workers on your doorstep.

As an added bonus, salary expectations are much closer to that of South & East Asian countries like the Philippines, India, or Pakistan. Despite this, English is the common language and language barriers are very rare.

Do you want to live in a place where the weather is always great? Do you want to be surrounded by unlimited possibilities to go out and explore? If so, Dubai is the city for you.

Not only is Dubai in the top 10 safest cities in the world but it is also home to some of the world’s best attractions.

It is very easy to find friends who are incredibly welcoming to newcomers from around the world. The city offers everything you could ever want or need in terms of shops, restaurants, activities, and entertainment at every price point imaginable.

Free zones are areas in the UAE that have significantly fewer restrictions on foreign ownership of companies and businesses. These free zones can be found all over Dubai and they allow you to reap all the benefits of a low-tax environment without any of the drawbacks.

You can apply for a company license and operate an office within the free zone with no limits on foreign ownership.

Free zones allow you to use imported goods at no tax, pay no import taxes and have full control & ownership of your company.

Changes this summer (2021) are beginning to allow a number of business types to incorporate without the help of a free zone or a local sponsor/service agent.

There are many startups and tech companies being built here with founders from all around the world. There’s a thriving community of entrepreneurs who all help each other succeed.

There’s also plenty of startup incubators and many are government-backed. Some incubators include Area 2071, Astrolabs, Fintech Accelerator, and many others.

Dubai is a city that’s booming with opportunities and economic growth. It’s time to make your mark in the UAE! There are so many benefits for entrepreneurs-low taxes, grants for startups, lower cost of living, plenty of connectivity, and a thriving economy. Whether you’re running an online business, a brick-and-mortar company, or you’re a digital nomad freelancer, you’re sure to find a home in Dubai.

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