AI-generated image

TMTPOST -- Dubai is rapidly transforming itself from a desert oil hub into a global tech powerhouse, harnessing artificial intelligence, venture capital, and pro-business policies to position itself as the Middle East’s answer to Silicon Valley.

In the first half of 2024, Dubai’s AI Campus welcomed 1,245 companies, a 38% increase year-on-year. The city’s total AI investment reached 20.6 billion dirhams (around $5.44 billion), underscoring a deepening commitment to technological innovation.

These developments come as the UAE intensifies efforts to attract global talent and capital through progressive visa reforms and targeted investment strategies.

Dubai has emerged as a strategic base for a growing number of Chinese companies, including Alibaba, Huawei, Tencent Games, and BeiGene. Meanwhile, tech giants such as Nvidia, PayPal, Oracle, and Meta have also planted roots in the city.

Much of the momentum is rooted in long-term policy planning. The UAE launched the world’s first Ministry of Artificial Intelligence in 2017, followed by the founding of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI and the Artificial Intelligence Council. Dubai itself has pursued a series of smart city strategies—from Smart Dubai 2021 to the 2024 Dubai AI Blueprint—and launched “Sandbox Dubai,” a startup-centric initiative under the D33 economic agenda.

These efforts have borne fruit: Dubai now hosts over 2,300 tech companies and the UAE’s largest data center ecosystem. The local cloud industry is projected to generate $181 billion in economic value over the next decade.

Tuya Smart’s foray into Dubai exemplifies how Chinese AI firms are capitalizing on the city’s innovation-friendly environment. Initially entering the region via a partnership with Saudi telecom operator ZAIN KSA, Tuya expanded rapidly in 2024, integrating ESG principles into its localized product suite. Offerings such as AI-driven energy dashboards and home management systems resonated with Dubai’s smart city agenda, helping the company hit $298.6 million in revenue for the year.

Dubai’s appeal is also talent-driven. Foreign nationals account for 89% of the city’s population, with one in eight considered a highly skilled professional earning over 30,000 dirhams per month. While this 12.5% ratio trails Singapore’s 36.7%, Dubai aims to lift it to 30% by 2030.

Generative AI startup Camb.ai, whose clients include IMAX and LaLiga, embodies this talent influx. “Dubai is unlike any other place for tech talent right now,” said CTO Akshat Prakash, citing access to capital and a supportive government as key advantages. Co-founder Avneesh Prakash added, “It feels like the government operates like a startup—decisions are fast and founder-friendly.”

Dubai’s venture ecosystem is structured across sovereign wealth funds (such as the Dubai Future District Fund), international VCs (like Sequoia Middle East), and corporate venture arms. DFDF’s evergreen fund structure—mandating that 50% of capital go to frontier tech—has proven especially impactful.

Camb.ai was an early recipient of DFDF investment, a move that helped it secure additional capital from Comcast, Courtside Ventures, TRTL, and others. Another major backer, Oraseya Capital—launched in January 2024 under Dubai’s economic zones authority—has already funded over 35 startups and is laser-focused on AI, fintech, proptech, and SME SaaS platforms tailored to the MENA market.

“We’re looking for founders who view Dubai as a global springboard,” said Julien Joel Plouzeau, senior partner at Oraseya Capital.

While Dubai’s venture ecosystem is maturing, exit options are limited. IPOs accounted for just 11% of startup exits in 2023, with the vast majority coming via M&A. However, 62% of Dubai VC capital remains in the region, with 28% flowing to Africa and South Asia—creating a unique pattern of “Dubai fundraising, emerging market exits.”

Home to 4,000 companies and 31,000 professionals, Dubai Internet City serves as the region’s flagship innovation zone. Its in5 incubator has produced fintech unicorn Tabby and podcast platform Podeo, with startups collectively raising over 7.8 billion dirhams. Global players like NVIDIA and Chinese tech giants alike are setting up R&D centers here to capitalize on Dubai’s strategic geographic position.

“Within an eight-hour flight radius, you can reach two-thirds of the world’s population,” said Ammar Al Malik, EVP at TECOM Group and MD of Dubai Internet City. “It’s the ideal launchpad for companies with global ambitions.”

From D33’s push to create “30 emerging champions” to the rollout of founder-focused initiatives and visa flexibility—such as Golden and Blue Residencies—Dubai is laying the foundation for its own version of China’s “Six Little Dragons.”

At the crossroads of East and West, with no income tax, business-friendly zones, and a booming AI ecosystem, Dubai is fast becoming a strategic command center for tech companies expanding into the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. As capital, talent, and policy converge, the city is no longer just a regional hub—it’s staking its claim as the global frontier for next-generation innovation.