Dubai free zone
TECOM: ten districts, and you licence into one
The short answer
TECOM Group operates ten specialised business districts in Dubai across six economic sectors: Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Outsource City, Dubai Science Park, Dubai Industrial City, and Dubai Design District. You do not licence with TECOM generally — you licence into a specific district whose sector focus determines the activities available and the community you sit in. The group publishes a base of 12,200 customers and more than 147,000 professionals.
TECOM is the closest thing Dubai has to sector-zoned business districts. A technology company sits with technology companies, a broadcaster with broadcasters, a designer in the design district — and the address itself signals what you do.
The practical consequence is that the first decision is not whether to use TECOM but which of the ten districts you belong in. Get that wrong and you are in the right group at the wrong address, with an activity list that does not quite match what you do.
Scope of this page
This is for you if
- Your business is clearly in one sector and would benefit from being among peers.
- You want a recognised Dubai address that signals your industry.
- You are in media, technology, design, education, science, or outsourcing.
- Clustering matters to your hiring or your client credibility.
This may not be the right route if
- Your activity spans several sectors and no single district fits.
- You want the cheapest available desk-based licence.
- You need port access or bonded warehousing.
- Your activity is regulated by a financial or health regulator.
TECOM in detail
The ten districts
The districts are genuinely distinct rather than branding on a common product. Each is built around a sector, and the occupier mix, facilities, and activity lists follow from that.
Read the table below as a shortlist exercise. Most businesses find one district that clearly fits and one that plausibly does; the difference between them is usually the activity list, and that is settled with the authority rather than argued about.
TECOM Group's ten business districts and the sector each serves.
Dubai Internet City
- Sector
- Technology and the digital economy
Dubai Media City
- Sector
- Media and broadcasting
Dubai Studio City
- Sector
- Broadcast, film, TV, music, and entertainment production
Dubai Production City
- Sector
- Publishing, printing, and packaging
Dubai Design District
- Sector
- Design, fashion, architecture, art, and retail
Dubai Knowledge Park
- Sector
- Training institutes and recruitment consultancies
Dubai International Academic City
- Sector
- Higher education
Dubai Science Park
- Sector
- Research, innovation, and science-sector businesses
Dubai Outsource City
- Sector
- Business process outsourcing and shared services
Dubai Industrial City
- Sector
- Industry, with land, warehousing, and worker accommodation
| District | Sector |
|---|---|
| Dubai Internet City | Technology and the digital economy |
| Dubai Media City | Media and broadcasting |
| Dubai Studio City | Broadcast, film, TV, music, and entertainment production |
| Dubai Production City | Publishing, printing, and packaging |
| Dubai Design District | Design, fashion, architecture, art, and retail |
| Dubai Knowledge Park | Training institutes and recruitment consultancies |
| Dubai International Academic City | Higher education |
| Dubai Science Park | Research, innovation, and science-sector businesses |
| Dubai Outsource City | Business process outsourcing and shared services |
| Dubai Industrial City | Industry, with land, warehousing, and worker accommodation |
Why the district, not the group, is the decision
A licence is issued into a district, and the district's sector focus shapes which activities sit naturally on it. A software company belongs in Dubai Internet City; a production house in Dubai Studio City; a training provider in Dubai Knowledge Park. Choosing on rent or availability alone tends to produce an activity mismatch that surfaces later, usually when something needs amending.
Where a business genuinely spans two districts — a design studio that also publishes, say — that is a conversation to have with the authority before applying, not after. The answer is usually workable, but it needs to be the authority's answer rather than an assumption.
Dubai Industrial City is the outlier
Nine of the ten districts are office-based communities. Dubai Industrial City is not: it provides land, warehousing, and workers' accommodation, which puts it in a different category of decision entirely, closer to Hamriyah or KEZAD than to Dubai Media City.
If you arrived at TECOM for the media or technology clustering, Dubai Industrial City is unlikely to be your answer. If you arrived needing industrial premises with a Dubai address, it is the part of the group worth looking at, and it should be priced against the Sharjah and Abu Dhabi industrial zones rather than against its sister districts.
Before you commit
What to verify with TECOM specifically
Checks particular to a multi-district group. The generic free-zone questions are covered in the setup-process guide linked below.
The TECOM-specific checks worth completing before any payment is made.
Which district
- Why it matters here
- Ten districts with different sector focuses
- How it is settled
- Match the activity to the district before pricing anything
Activity list
- Why it matters here
- The district shapes which activities sit naturally
- How it is settled
- Verify your exact activity with the authority in writing
Cross-district activity
- Why it matters here
- Some businesses genuinely span two districts
- How it is settled
- Get the authority's answer before applying, not after
Premises type
- Why it matters here
- Nine districts are office-based; one is industrial
- How it is settled
- Confirm the premises format matches the operation
Clustering value
- Why it matters here
- The peer community is much of what you pay for
- How it is settled
- Judge whether proximity actually helps your business
Renewal terms
- Why it matters here
- Terms are set per district
- How it is settled
- Confirm renewal cost and conditions for your district
| Check | Why it matters here | How it is settled |
|---|---|---|
| Which district | Ten districts with different sector focuses | Match the activity to the district before pricing anything |
| Activity list | The district shapes which activities sit naturally | Verify your exact activity with the authority in writing |
| Cross-district activity | Some businesses genuinely span two districts | Get the authority's answer before applying, not after |
| Premises type | Nine districts are office-based; one is industrial | Confirm the premises format matches the operation |
| Clustering value | The peer community is much of what you pay for | Judge whether proximity actually helps your business |
| Renewal terms | Terms are set per district | Confirm renewal cost and conditions for your district |
How setup works
The process is the same wherever you incorporate
Structure options, what an engagement covers, and the stages a licence goes through are common to every free zone. They are set out once, in full, rather than repeated on each zone page.
Read the free-zone setup processEvery route is planned against how the business will actually operate in the UAE.
Questions
Frequently asked
- How many districts does TECOM operate?
- Ten, across six economic sectors: Internet City, Media City, Studio City, Production City, Knowledge Park, International Academic City, Outsource City, Science Park, Industrial City, and Design District.
- Can I licence with TECOM generally?
- You licence into a specific district. The district's sector focus determines the activities that sit naturally on the licence and the community you join.
- Which district suits a software company?
- Dubai Internet City is the technology and digital-economy district. Confirm your exact activity against its list, since related work can sometimes sit better in Dubai Science Park or Dubai Outsource City.
- Does TECOM offer industrial premises?
- Dubai Industrial City provides land, warehousing, and workers' accommodation. The other nine districts are office-based communities.
Sources
Regulations, fees, and eligibility can change. Every regulatory statement is re-checked before publication and dated above.
Work out which TECOM district you belong in
Tell us what you actually do and who your clients are. We identify the district that fits your activity, flag where two could work, and say when a different group serves you better.
No obligation · No cost estimate produced · Your details are not shared with third parties.
Start with a structure assessment, not a package
In an initial consultation you receive a plain-language decision summary, a document-preparation list, and the next actions for your situation. It is not an approval, a fixed price, or a tax opinion.
This page is general information about UAE business setup, not legal, tax, immigration, or banking advice. Rules, fees, permitted activities, and bank policies can change. Final eligibility depends on your facts and the applicable rules at the time of application.
We prepare and coordinate corporate bank-account applications. We do not open accounts and cannot guarantee approval, a particular bank, or a timeline. Each bank applies its own KYC, AML, and risk assessment.