Set up a lean IT and AI services business with one residence visa, virtual delivery and no employees or office at launch.
Dubai mainland comparison references; a selected free zone uses its own activity register.
Activity 6201001 · Dubai mainland · DET reference
Includes firms specialized in computer systems software design, implementation, operation and maintenance based on analyzing the user's problems and his need for economical solution and the programs necessary for realizing such a solution, it involves designing application software designed to run on smartphones and mobile devices.
Find this activity in the directoryActivity 6202003 · Dubai mainland · DET reference
Includes providing information technology consultancies to enhance performance in different aspects, in addition to proposing the adequate software consistent with the nature of the firm, it involve advising the proper technical applications for transformation to the platform of the block chain, with emphasis on the expected economic returns, the manager must have a Bachelor degree in Computer sciences or Information Technology, along with three years hands-on experience
Find this activity in the directoryRead the requirement, the constraint and the proposed route together. The value of this case is the reasoning behind the setup, rather than an activity name in isolation.
Four phases, 9 checkpoints. See the route at a glance, then open a checkpoint for the work, owner and timing. Daily updates continue during active work.
Confirm the route and open your file.
Activity, legal form and SPC Free Zone
Owner / You and VantablackNamed team, checklist and your project timeline
Owner / VantablackDocuments and activity checks.
Passports, KYC and anything the activity needs
Owner / You, checked by VantablackSubmitted to SPC Free Zone
Owner / Vantablack, then the authorityPremises and the licence decision.
Flexi-desk or office in the free zone
Owner / You and VantablackYour company exists; documents in your workspace
Owner / The authorityFollow-on work in your agreed scope.
Immigration file for you and your team
Owner / Vantablack PRO teamBank application, VAT and Corporate Tax registration
Owner / Vantablack and the bankList your services on the Ecosystem and receive requests
Owner / You, on VantablackTime markers are our service standards; authority steps follow the authority’s own timeline, and approvals are the authority’s decision. Your accepted quote confirms which post-licence services are included. Sales depend on licensing, approvals and demand.
Select a point to read the reasoning.
01 Business objective Set up a lean IT and AI services business with one residence visa, virtual delivery and no employees or office at launch.
Set up a lean IT and AI services business with one residence visa, virtual delivery and no employees or office at launch.
Both Mainland and Free Zone can work, so the decision is not about basic eligibility. It is about activity mix, visa needs, banking, scalability and long-term economics.
We mapped the exact software-design and IT-consulting activities, compared Mainland and Free Zone routes, and narrowed the structure around the client’s virtual operating model and growth plan.
Vantablack avoids defaulting technology companies into a generic free-zone package; we compare the complete operating and expansion picture before recommending the jurisdiction.
First check the exact activity, licensing route, operating model and authority conditions. Virtual-office eligibility must be confirmed for your setup; it is not established by this case study. For an eligible Dubai mainland setup, our indicative planning example is AED 1,200 for trade-name reservation and initial approval, AED 3,500 for a virtual-office provider, and AED 12,000 for the licence: approximately AED 16,700 before Vantablack service fees. These are Vantablack planning estimates dated 20 October 2026, not official tariffs or costs recorded for this case. Provider tax, visas, immigration and labour files, external approvals and other scope-specific costs are separate where applicable.
Where dedicated premises are required, replace the virtual-office allowance with the actual office, shop, warehouse or other suitable lease cost. Our planning allowance for the licence is AED 12,000 plus a market fee estimated at 5% of the annual lease value, subject to the authority assessment; the initial application allowance remains AED 1,200. Fit-out, deposits, inspections and activity-specific approvals may add costs. Your written quotation and actual authority voucher determine the payable amounts.
Planning guidance for a new enquiry, not a statement of this client’s costs or completed approvals. Basic and Advanced Setup include virtual-office sourcing and coordination where eligible; office-provider charges are separate.
Compare premises options and request current pricingSoftware, consultancy, testing, product sales and transaction facilitation are different deliverables. The technology label should not conceal an additional regulated role.
Adding brokerage, payments, sensitive product trading or another regulated function can require a review beyond the existing technology scope.
