FFZA Free Zone
Ideal for tech and sustainable businesses.
Close to Abu Dhabi International Airport and key transportation hubs.
Enjoy 100% foreign ownership and tax-free profits.
Flexible workspaces designed for various business needs.
State-of-the-art technology and eco-friendly facilities.
Comprehensive business support including IT, legal, and administrative services.
For trading and import/export activities.
For providing professional and consultancy services.
For manufacturing and industrial operations.
For businesses focused on research and innovation.
Choose the appropriate business activity and license type.
Provide necessary documents and complete the application process.
Receive initial approval from the Masdar City Free Zone authority.
Secure your business premises within the free zone.
Complete payment for licensing and leasing.
Obtain your business license and start operations.
Thousands of people choose Decisive Zone to set up their business in Dubai and across the UAE. We take great pride in our exceptional services and our clients’ testaments keep us going!
Masdar City Free Zone is in Abu Dhabi, within Masdar City, the flagship sustainable development by Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company). It sits about 5 minutes from Zayed International Airport, 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi, and around 45 minutes from Dubai.
This central position between the UAE's two largest business hubs makes it convenient for trade, travel, and client access across the country. The free zone is part of a purpose-built innovation ecosystem. We can set your company up here end to end.
Masdar City Free Zone offers four main licence types:
• Commercial Licence for trading and import/export activities.
• Service Licence for professional and consultancy services.
• Industrial Licence for manufacturing and industrial operations.
• Technology Licence for research, innovation, and tech-focused businesses.
Your chosen activity determines the right licence and any approvals needed. We can map your activities to the correct licence from the start.
Initial approval is typically granted within 3 to 7 working days, with the trade licence issued within roughly one to two weeks of complete documentation. The process is streamlined through the free zone's One-Stop Shop.
Adding residence visas and opening a bank account extends the full timeline to around four to six weeks. Much of the setup can be handled efficiently with the right preparation. We manage the paperwork to keep it moving.
Yes. Masdar City Free Zone allows 100% foreign ownership, so international investors can fully own their company with no UAE national sponsor or local partner required. You also keep full repatriation of capital and profits.
This applies across its licence types and structures, whether you set up a Free Zone LLC or a branch of an existing company. We can advise which structure fits your ownership plans.
For individual shareholders, you'll typically need a completed application form, passport copies of shareholders and managers, proof of address, and a business plan. Trade names must be provided in both Arabic and English.
Corporate shareholders also submit the certificate of incorporation, Memorandum of Association, and a board resolution. We provide a precise checklist so nothing holds up your application.
Masdar City Free Zone supports a wide range of activities. It specialises in clean energy, sustainability, cleantech, technology, and research and development, but also welcomes consulting, ESG advisory, ICT, AI, space technology, media, healthcare, education, trading, and light industrial activities.
Some sector-specific activities may require third-party approvals. With a tariff allowing multiple activities under one licence, it suits businesses with more than one line. We can build the right activity list for your plans.
Yes, it's one of the strongest choices in the UAE for tech and cleantech. Masdar City hosts over 1,000 companies, including Siemens Energy, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, and G42 Healthcare, alongside hundreds of startups.
Its ecosystem includes an innovation hub, incubator programs, dedicated AI and space-tech clusters, and The Catalyst, a clean-tech venture investor. For founders in technology, sustainability, and R&D, the networking and investment access is a genuine advantage. We can position your startup to plug in.
Yes, with the dual licence. A standard free zone licence doesn't allow direct mainland trading, but Masdar City Free Zone offers a dual-licence option that lets you operate in both the free zone and the mainland without needing a separate mainland office.
Without it, a free zone company can invoice UAE clients but reaches mainland consumers through a distributor or a mainland branch. One tax point: mainland income is taxed at 9%, while qualifying free zone income can stay at 0%. We can structure this so you reach your customers compliantly.
