Dubai Internet City & Media City (TECOM)
MENA's flagship clusters for technology (DIC) and media (DMC).
What DIC / DMC is actually known for
What TECOM's Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City sell is the tenant list. Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Meta, Google and LinkedIn run regional operations out of Internet City; CNN, MBC, Reuters and much of the region's broadcast and agency world sits in Media City. Companies pay a premium to be inside that cluster because of who they end up next to — the partnership conversations, the hiring pool and the credibility that comes with the address. This is not the zone you choose to save money.
Dubai Internet City (DIC) and Dubai Media City (DMC) are flagship TECOM Group free zones forming the region's premier clusters for technology and media. DIC is the largest ICT hub in MENA; DMC hosts leading global media, broadcasting, advertising and creative companies. They're premium, community-driven zones for established tech and media businesses that value ecosystem, talent and brand prestige.
Key benefits
- 100% foreign ownership and tax-free profits on qualifying income
- Access to a world-class curated industry community (tech / media)
- Prestige address near multinationals and talent pools
- Strong ecosystem, events and knowledge-worker infrastructure
- Purpose-built offices and studios
- Part of the wider TECOM cluster network (Knowledge Park, Design District)
Business activities & licenses
DIC / DMC supports a range of license types and activities, including:
- Technology, ICT & software (DIC)
- Media, broadcasting & film production (DMC)
- Advertising, marketing & PR
- Publishing & digital media
- Creative services
The clusters that exist here
Activity lists look similar across every free zone. What differs is which industries have genuinely concentrated in one — the counterparties, the suppliers and the people you end up sitting next to.
- Technology multinationals
- Dubai Internet City is where the large software and platform companies base their MENA operations, which makes it the centre of gravity for enterprise technology sales in the region.
- Media and broadcast
- Dubai Media City hosts broadcasters, publishers and news bureaux, with Dubai Studio City and Dubai Production City nearby for production and printing.
- Advertising and marketing
- The regional holding-company agency networks and their clients cluster here, along with the production and post-production supply chain.
- Startups via in5
- TECOM's in5 incubator provides a lower-cost route in for early-stage tech, media and design ventures.
- Freelancers
- The GoFreelance permit gives individual media, tech and education professionals a route to a TECOM licence and residence visa without forming a company.
Infrastructure and institutions
The things DIC / DMC has that a competing zone would have to build from scratch:
- Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City campuses on Sheikh Zayed Road
- in5 innovation centres for tech, media and design
- Dubai Studio City — sound stages and production facilities
- Dubai Production City — printing and publishing infrastructure
- GoFreelance permits for individual professionals
- Direct metro access and adjacency to Dubai Marina and JLT residential areas
Ownership & visas
100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor required.
Visa allocation is tied to leased office / workspace within the cluster; larger offices support larger quotas.
Cost & timeline
DIC / DMC does not publish a complete current public tariff. We obtain a written quote from the authority for your specific activity, visa allocation and workspace.
Important: No current complete official public tariff is published. Cluster, licence, legal structure, activity and workspace determine the quote. Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City should be quoted separately, not as one combined price.
Source: tecomgroup.ae
Get a written quoteTypical timeline: ~4–6 weeks (approvals and workspace-dependent).
Is DIC / DMC right for you?
Established technology companies, software / ICT firms and media, creative and advertising businesses that want to be inside a curated cluster with global peers, talent and prestige.
Choose DIC / DMC if
- Your customers or partners are the technology and media multinationals based here
- You are hiring specialist media, creative or enterprise-tech talent and want to be where they already work
- The address itself carries weight in your sales conversations
- You are a freelancer in an eligible discipline and want a TECOM permit
Look elsewhere if
- You are cost-driven — Shams and SPC offer media licences for a fraction of the price
- You need warehousing, industrial space or port access
- Your business has no connection to technology, media or the creative industries
What people get wrong about DIC / DMC
The things that surprise founders after they have already signed — worth knowing before you do.
- Quotation-based pricing
- TECOM does not publish a complete public tariff for its Internet City and Media City licences. Costs depend on activity, premises and headcount, so insist on a written quote.
- Activity eligibility is narrower than most zones
- These are sector-specific communities. If your activity doesn't fit the technology or media remit, you won't be licensed here regardless of budget.
- Premises expectations are real
- These are physical business districts. Expect to take actual space, whether a serviced office, a co-working seat or a full floor.
What makes DIC / DMC different
- DIC is the largest ICT hub in MENA, hosting global tech leaders.
- DMC is home to hundreds of global media brands.
Compare alternatives
How DIC / DMC compares
| Free zone | Emirate | License from* | Typical timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIC / DMC This page | Dubai | Quote required | ~4–6 weeks (approvals and workspace-dependent) | Media · Advertising |
| IFZA → | Dubai | Quote required | License in ~3–5 working days (fast-track available) | Consultants · E-commerce |
| Meydan → | Dubai | AED 12,500/yr | A few days to ~1 week (digital process) | Agencies · Consultants |
| DMCC → | Dubai | AED 20,285/yr | ~1–4 weeks depending on activity and workspace | Commodities · General trading |
* Published entry prices from each authority, verified 1 August 2026 — not quotes, and not directly comparable products. Compare all 17 zones
DIC / DMC — frequently asked questions
01How much does it cost to set up in DIC / DMC?＋
DIC / DMC does not publish a complete current public tariff, so pricing is quotation-based and depends on your activity, visa allocation, shareholder structure and workspace. Incorporate Dubai obtains a written quote from the authority rather than quoting an unverified starting price.
02Can I own 100% of my DIC / DMC company?＋
100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor required.
03How many visas can I get with DIC / DMC?＋
Visa allocation is tied to leased office / workspace within the cluster; larger offices support larger quotas.
04How long does DIC / DMC setup take?＋
~4–6 weeks (approvals and workspace-dependent). Timelines depend on document readiness, visa processing and bank onboarding.
05Who is DIC / DMC best for?＋
Established technology companies, software / ICT firms and media, creative and advertising businesses that want to be inside a curated cluster with global peers, talent and prestige.
06What is the GoFreelance permit?＋
GoFreelance is TECOM's permit for individual professionals in media, technology, education and design who want to work independently in the UAE. It gives you a licence in your own name and a route to a residence visa without incorporating a company — useful for consultants, producers, developers and creatives working project to project.
07Is Dubai Internet City worth it for a small software company?＋
It depends entirely on whether you sell to the companies based there. If your pipeline runs through the regional offices of the large platform vendors, being inside the cluster is worth real money in access and partnership routes. If you sell overseas, you're paying a premium for a postcode your customers will never see.
08What is in5?＋
in5 is TECOM's incubator, with separate centres for technology, media and design. It offers subsidised workspace, mentoring, investor introductions and a licence pathway for early-stage ventures — the practical entry point for a startup that wants the TECOM ecosystem without the full commercial cost.