The Sustainability Excellence Awards 2025: Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone wins Best Free Zone for Startups & SMEs award

The core vision of Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone is to create an environment where SMEs can start, operate and scale with ease. Our approach is built on simplicity, accessibility and customer centricity. We designed our ecosystem around the needs of small and medium businesses, ensuring that every step of their journey is clear, fast and supported.

While many free zones focus on sector specific models or large scale operations, our vision places SMEs at the centre. We understand that entrepreneurs value speed, transparency and practical support, so our digital platform allows them to set up from anywhere with minimal paperwork. This is paired with a service model that focuses on long term relationships, not just licence issuance. Our aim is to give every business the right foundation to grow, supported by an ecosystem that removes friction and encourages progress.

One of our most meaningful achievements has been building a fully digital and seamless business setup journey that empowers SMEs from day one. This has not only reduced traditional barriers to entry but also helped businesses launch faster and operate more efficiently.

The ability for entrepreneurs to complete their entire setup process online, choose multiple activities under one licence and access dedicated support has played a major role in their scalability. Many SMEs that started with a single activity have successfully expanded their operations within our free zone because the process remains flexible and simple at every stage. This achievement reflects our commitment to creating a supportive and future ready platform for continuous growth.

An important opportunity was to further simplify the business setup journey by giving SMEs complete clarity and confidence before they begin. We focused on designing an experience that is transparent, intuitive and fast, allowing entrepreneurs to make informed decisions from the outset.

Our digital platform brings this to life through tools such as a Cost Calculator that provides clear upfront estimates and a Name Check feature that allows instant validation of company names. Free consultations are also available, enabling customers to connect with our specialists and choose the right setup with ease.

To support businesses at different stages, we introduced flexible financial options including an easy payment plan and pay as you grow model. These options allow SMEs to start with a manageable investment and scale naturally as their business grows. Alongside this, our team remains available 24/7, ensuring continuous guidance and smooth experience so SMEs can focus on building their business with confidence.

For us, success goes far beyond issuing a license. We measure our impact through real signs of business progress, such as growth in licensed activities, workspace upgrades and how actively SMEs engage with our ecosystem.

Business continuity is also important. We observe how companies develop after their first year, and when SMEs continue to hire, trade and scale, it shows that they are growing in a supportive environment.

Our Beyond Hub value added services strengthen this support. Through one platform, SMEs can access essential services including banking, insurance, marketing, logistics and workspace providers. These services are available to both local and global entrepreneurs, allowing them to manage their journey from anywhere in the world. This saves time, reduces challenges and helps them focus on running and expanding their business. By connecting simple processes with a strong service network, we aim to support SMEs that contribute to Dubai’s wider economy.

Free zone success is built on creating a simple, clear and supportive environment for businesses. When customers understand the process, costs and requirements from the start, they can focus on building and growing their business with confidence.

A strong digital platform plays an important role by allowing entrepreneurs to set up and manage their business from anywhere in the world, while maintaining speed, flexibility and transparency. This is most effective when combined with flexible policies and pricing that support businesses at different stages of growth. Equally important is continuous customer support. Being accessible, responsive and solutions focused helps build trust and long term relationships. Finally, a connected ecosystem that brings essential business services together in one place enables smoother operations and sustainable growth, ensuring businesses feel supported throughout their journey.