Dubai Business Setup by Industry
Setup playbooks for specific businesses: e-commerce, consulting, restaurants, crypto, logistics and more.
Industry Playbooks articles
Online Business Ideas in the UAE, and How to License Each One
Twelve online business models that work in the UAE, with the licence each one actually needs and an honest read on difficulty.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
Labour Accommodation and Bed Space in Dubai: What Is Legal and What Is Not
Bed space in a residential flat is illegal in Dubai. Licensed labour accommodation is a real business. This guide separates the two honestly.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Recruitment Agency in Dubai
Recruitment, manpower supply and HR consultancy are three different licences in the UAE. Which one you need, the guarantee, and the rule about worker fees.
Ali Jasim··11 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Maintenance and Handyman Company in Dubai
Technical services in Dubai need municipality approval and qualified staff. The activities, the approvals, the labour cost and how contracts work.
Ali Jasim··11 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Gold and Jewellery Trading Business in Dubai
Gold in Dubai is a serious regulated trade. The licence options, hallmarking, the AML obligations that apply from day one, and real costs.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Medical Equipment Trading Business in Dubai
Devices are registered, not just imported. The MOHAP route, storage rules, free zone or mainland, and who you can actually sell to.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Open a Gym or Fitness Studio in Dubai
Fitness in Dubai needs sports authority approval, trainer certification and a premises that passes inspection. The route, costs and membership economics.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Open a Medical Clinic in Dubai: The DHA Licence Route
Two licences, not one: the facility and every practitioner. The DHA route, the layout approval, DataFlow and the real timeline.
Ali Jasim··11 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Car Rental Business in Dubai
Car rental in Dubai needs an RTA permit, a fleet and a fine handling process. The licence, the capital, the insurance and the real margins.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Become an Uber or Careem Fleet Partner in Dubai
In Dubai you cannot drive for a ride hailing app as an individual. The limousine licence, the RTA permits and the fleet economics.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Travel Agency or Tour Operator in Dubai
Travel and tourism in Dubai is licensed by DET in categories. Inbound, outbound, the bank guarantee, IATA and what each route demands.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Transport and Delivery Company in Dubai
Delivery and goods transport in Dubai need RTA permits on top of the trade licence. Riders, vehicles, insurance and the real cost per drop.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Open a Cafe or Coffee Shop in Dubai
Small format food in Dubai: the cafeteria activity, kiosks, roasting, and why the lease matters more than the licence.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Catering Business in Dubai
Catering in Dubai needs a production kitchen, municipality approval and event permits. The licence route, the costs and the compliance load.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Open a Cloud Kitchen in Dubai
Delivery-only food in Dubai: the licence, the municipality approval, the aggregator economics and what a kitchen pod really costs.
Ali Jasim··11 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Holiday Home and Airbnb Business in Dubai
Short letting in Dubai is licensed, not informal. The permit, the operator licence, the tourism fee and what it costs to run.
Ali Jasim··11 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start an E-commerce Business in Dubai
The right licence, jurisdiction and approvals for a Dubai online store, plus the cost drivers and mistakes that trip up new sellers.
Ali Jasim··11 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Consulting Business in Dubai
The professional licence, activity and jurisdiction choices for consultants in Dubai, plus the extra approvals some consulting fields need.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Open a Restaurant in Dubai: Licences and Approvals
The trade licence, food safety approvals, civil defence sign-off and premises rules behind opening a restaurant in Dubai.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Cleaning Company in Dubai
The commercial licence, activity choice and workforce approvals behind a cleaning or facilities management company in Dubai.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Real Estate Brokerage in Dubai
The DED licence, RERA registration, broker card exam and office rules behind opening a real estate brokerage in Dubai.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start an IT or Software Company in Dubai
The professional licence, free zone choices and rare extra approvals behind starting an IT or software company in Dubai.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Trading Company in Dubai
The commercial licence, general trading option, customs registration and warehouse choices behind a Dubai trading company.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Beauty Salon or Spa in Dubai
The commercial licence, Dubai Municipality hygiene approval, and the separate DHA route for medical aesthetic treatments in Dubai.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Construction Company in the UAE
The commercial or industrial licence, contractor classification grading, and technical staff approvals behind a UAE construction company.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Logistics or Freight Company in Dubai
The freight forwarding licence, customs broker approval, IATA accreditation and free zone choices behind a Dubai logistics company.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Marketing Agency in Dubai
The professional licence, digital versus full advertising activity split, and National Media Office approval behind a Dubai marketing agency.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start an Import Export Business in the UAE
The trading licence, Dubai Customs registration, product-specific approvals and free zone choices behind a UAE import-export business.
Ali Jasim··10 min read Industry Playbooks
How to Start a Crypto or Web3 Business in Dubai Under VARA
The VARA licence categories, jurisdiction choices and compliance requirements behind starting a crypto or Web3 business in Dubai.
Ali Jasim··10 min readKnow your exact setup cost
Guides give you the lay of the land. The calculator gives you your number, itemised to the fils, from our real price book.