Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ) was established in 1996 and is a dynamic business hub located at the very heart of global trade. Benefitting from direct access to the world’s busiest international airport, DAFZ offers the ideal gateway to the Middle East and also unrivalled connectivity to Europe, the Indian Subcontinent and the Far East.
DAFZ is now home to thousands of registered businesses from over 20+ sectors and various industries, that benefit from a business-focused regulatory and tax-free environment that offers total ownership, full repatriation of earnings and a range of world-class facilities. DAFZ stands out as a thriving business hub, with infrastructure adhering to the highest sustainable standards. This makes it a first choice for investors seeking to establish businesses that prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Additionally, DAFZ stands as a leading platform for companies specialising in renewable energy, sustainable practices, and corporate responsibility. It also supports Dubai’s non-oil economy by attracting global businesses and facilitating international trade, making it a hub for logistics and commerce.
The free zone’s commitment to sustainability is underscored by the recent achievement of international Leed Zero Energy and Leed Zero Carbon certificates by the DIEZ headquarters at DAFZ. This recognition from the US Green Building Council marks DAFZ as the first entity in the Middle East region to attain this esteemed certification.
In addition, the free zone has taken a proactive approach by initiating a research study aimed at identifying environmentally responsible sectors. The purpose is to attract companies from the green sector that can significantly contribute to advancing the UAE’s green economy. The research study evaluated 11 main sectors, 36 sub-sectors, and their anticipated growth rate over the next 5 years. This included sustainable aviation fuels with an anticipated growth of 60 per cent, programmable thermostats (28 per cent), electromobility (27 per cent), wireless power transfer (24 per cent), low-carbon construction, cloud computing, and fleet management (20 per cent each).
In line with its commitment to partner with industry leaders across diverse sectors and elevate UAE innovators on a global stage, Dubai Airport Free Zone has partnered with the 2024 edition of Red Bull Basement. DAFZ will directly support teams participating in the event by awarding the first- and second-place winners membership in its innovative start-up programme, “Scality,” enabling them to establish and grow their businesses in the region.
These winners will also secure a spot in “Sandbox,” DIEZ’s accelerator programme, part of Oraseya Capital, the Authority’s venture capital arm, with potential investment opportunities for the first-place team.