The DIFC Innovation License is offered to a wide ecosystem of technology enablers, catering to technology/innovation firms interested in developing or testing new, novel or innovative products. To be eligible to set up a DIFC Innovation License, you must be able to:
demonstrate the proposed entity promotes innovation, has the potential to scale and can be deployed in the UAE, and
demonstrate that your activities fall within one of the license categories (shown in the table below).
While you do not require a UAE Resident or GCC National with an Emirates ID Card for the purpose of the company formation, depending on the bank you wish to use, your company may need to appoint a signatory in the UAE to open a bank account.
DIFC Innovation License Categories
License Category | Description of activities |
Distributed Ledger Technology Services | Includes firms that provide database management solutions and ancillary services based on distributed ledger technologies, such as blockchain, such firms are not permitted to trade in, or setup an exchange for currencies or crypto currencies or commodities or provide any financial services, whether brokerage or payment processing. |
Innovation & Artificial Intelligence Research & Consultancies | Includes firms specialized in providing studies and consultancies on innovation to technical and administrative personnel in the public and private sector to stimulate extraordinary thinking procedures and innovative solutions to the challenges comforting them, also, providing the same on artificial intelligence which is based on computers that capable of imitating the intelligent human behaviour to understand future developments. |
Computer Systems and Software Designing | Includes establishments specialized in the field of analysis of applied systems for the use of computer/computers and their design and requirements. This is from developing the operating programs for those systems and this also includes installing the systems on computers, testing them, operating them, maintaining them and training in their usage. It also includes this also the users’ need and problems providing advice on the best economic solution and providing the necessary programs to achieve this solution. On user directions, especially those activities that include developing, delivering, processing and documenting "custom made software" based on requests from specific users and ready made applications. It also includes the preparation and design of internet pages for individuals, government and private institutions. |
Technology Research & Development | Includes firms specialized in elaborating studies and experimental and development research related to technology businesses for conducting innovation, introduction and improvement of its products and procedures. It includes setting guidelines to enhance designing, evaluating, implementing techniques and a series of investigative activities to develop new and improve existing products and procedures. |
Information Technology Consultants | Includes providing technical services and consultancies with respect to information technology and applications like internet, internet and data warehousing to enhance the administrative and technical performance in different corporations. In addition to offering consultancies, to involve proposing the adequate software and handling the surveys and studies to determine the appropriate technology consistent with the nature of the firm, these firms are not entitled to market or produce any of the software or products related to said technology, the minimal degree required is BSc. in Computer sciences or Information Technology, along with three years hands-on experience. |
Internet Consultancy | Includes firms specialised in drawing up the strategies of using internet technology in the commercial entities, as well as impose laying out the techniques of the practical application. |
IT Infrastructure | Includes firms specialized in laying the technical foundations of the information technology, which comprises the network, the systems and the databases. It also involves firms engaged in preparing the consultative studies along with the installations of the network and the systems, manpower training is also included. |
Portal | Online services equipped with databases and programmes that are fitted as a service with basic functions of the technology platform. It also could be a junction between a content provider and a user for a broad array of resources and services. |
Internet Content Provider | Includes firms specialized in providing internet sites with contents and make them available for users. |
Network Consultancies | Includes providing comprehensive professional consultancies to IT organizations to help them match their needs with the networking solutions, it involves securing, analyzing and designing network solutions that maintain the security and integrity of their IT assets. |
Public Networking Services | Includes firms specialized in providing the services of subscribing & connecting to international information networking as well as specialized information banks and exchange of electronic mail which includes operating systems and applications such as electronic mail and the exchange of data electronically by using communication networks as well as their local and international lines. The role of those is limited to facilitating subscription procedures against fees or specified amount. |
Web-Design | Includes firms specialized in designing the pages of the electronic services sites, the internet is used here as infrastructure. |
Cyber Security Consultancy | Includes firms specialized in offering comprehensive professional cybersecurity consultancy to other organizations on how to prepare for, avoid and protect themselves against cyber-attacks and threats, such threats might involve networks, computers, programs and data damage, unauthorized access, evaluating cybersecurity or cyber readiness to comply with regulations and reactive services, including responding to cyber breaches and recovery activities following a cyber incident. |
Data Classification & Analysis Services | Includes firms specialized in evaluating and analyzing data provided by public and private entities, and arranging these data sets into a single repository to performs structured reviews and various analyses, as well as classifying according to their common characteristics, in order to discover useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making by said entities, with the goal of improving the investment returns and optimally utilize the resources, as well as enhancing the capabilities of such entities as regarding solving present problems and future challenges. |
Education & Training Computer Software | Includes providing computer systems analysis and software design to the facilities involved in education and training process, it involves analyzing the user's needs and problems and offering consultancy on the best economical solution and the programs necessary for realizing such a solution, also, the software installation, testing and operation. |
Education Technologies Research & Development | Includes centers or institutes specialized in elaborating studies and experimental and development researches on learning technologies to set guidelines to enhance designing, evaluating and implementing learning techniques to reach the utmost efficiency. |
Electronic Chips Designing and Programing | Includes establishments that carry out programing activities for electronic chips or chips used in computers or in electronic devices and equipment that operate automatically, specially machines used in industrial production, vehicles and home electronic devices, electronic games and more. |
Research and development to in the field of Cloud computing | It includes facilities specialized in research and development in cloud computing such as research and development of infrastructure services or what is known as (Infrastructure as a Service) and the abbreviation of this service is (IaaS). Storage Services provide another type of cloud service, which is software as a service and referred to as (SaaS) such as cloud software. |
Research and development in the field of smart systems. | Activities focused on research and development in topics related to smart systems including functions of sensing, actuating, and controlling in order to make smart decisions, analyses or/and descriptions. |
Research and development in the field of robots | Activities focused on research and development in the field of robotics including hardware and software research related to Robotics across different technologies (AI, IoT … etc.) |
Science and Technology Consultancy | Includes offering counseling, conducting experimental researches and studies and drawing plans on science and technology as regarding water desalination techniques, nanotechnology, health, power technology, sustainability and renewable energy technology also, conducting analytical testing services, studying and analyzing the reports submitted by laboratories and other analysis entities in respond to requests by governmental and private bodies, minimal qualifications required is bachelor degree in science or engineering, along with three years hands-on experience. |
Internet Services Provision | It includes facilities specialized in providing subscription and connection to information networks with global information networks, specialized data banks, and electronic data exchange, which includes in addition to operational and practical applications such as e-email and electronic exchange of information through the use of communication networks, local and international lines and the internet. The role of these facilities is limited to facilitating the task of subscription for a fee. |
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Provision & Development Services | Includes firms specialized in 360-videos, post-production, fully interactive VR experiences, VR simulators, augmented virtual reality development, 3D design and computer-generated imagery animations, sound design and production, on-site installations, which may include strategic consulting in respect of offering VR and AR solutions to businesses. |
Quantum Computing Services | Includes specialized firms in providing quantum services (e.g., building software/applications for quantum computers, quantum consulting, education and training). |
Social Media Applications Development & Management | Includes firms specialized in helping businesses and others to utilize such social media like Facebook, twitter, you tube, LinkedIn, Instagram to increase visibility and expand the number of regular visitors, which will boost customer base and consequently result in the grow of their businesses and services steadily over time, it involves providing contents as well as managing such channels. |
Web-hosting | Facilities include specialized in information and communication systems which operate in the field of hosting Web sites (Web Site) and hosting is the process by which the institution can obtain a particular website on the World Wide Web. |
Data Storing and Recovering | Facilities specialized in finding backup data storage solutions include protecting and save your data backup copies so that you do not lose them again and for this reason these facilities provide some solutions and instructions that protect your data as well as ensuring that data is retrieved upon. |
Designing the databases | Facilities include specialized in computer programming, which is allocated in the design of database systems that is a design of a set of computer programs which control the Pickle (Data) from a database. The system manages many of the databases and can be accessed by many users at the same time. |