The United Arab Emirates have long been a hotbed for foreign investment in the Middle East. Of all the constituent emirates that form the UAE, Dubai is perhaps the best-known. Part of the reason it has the reputation it does is because of the huge wealth flowing through the country. If you are considering starting your own business in this part of the world, here’s what you need to know going in.

What’s Your Business Plan?

Wherever in the world you plan on launching your business, you will need to have a solid business plan to underpin it. Your business plan should set out exactly what you want to achieve with your business and how you will go about achieving it. Without a solid business plan in place, your business will be flying blind and operating without a coherent and well-defined strategy.

One of the first things that you need to do before you even consider opening a business in Dubai is to establish exactly how your business will be structured and how it will operate. There are a number of rules and regulations applying to those who wish to register a business in Dubai, so you will need to ensure compliance with all of these before you can make any advanced plans to move.

Have You Localized Your Website?

While rates of English speakers are very high in Dubai, the official language of the UAE is Arabic. If your business services are localized into Arabic, it will indicate to your target audience that you care about their language and culture. This can help to enhance the reputation of your business from the moment you first start serving the Dubai market.

Good localization is not easy to do - you need to be able to take every piece of content that you have produced in your native language and translate it into Arabic. Whether it’s a general health article or a more niche article about how to link PCB to schematic design, localizing the whole thing properly is a big ask. There are automated options that utilize machine learning, but these are generally a poor substitute for a human translator.

You Need a Partner from the UAE

In order to start a business in the UAE, you will need to have a partner who is a UAE national. If you already know someone, then obviously this will be simple, but if not, it can make your plans significantly trickier. You need to choose someone who you know is trustworthy and reliable. Fortunately, there are plenty of Emirati businesspeople who would jump at the opportunity to be a silent partner in a thriving international business.

You Need to Register Your Business Name

If you open a new business in Dubai, you will need to register its identity with the Department for Economic Development. The name that you choose as a trade name will officially define your business in Dubai. Registration only takes a few days but needs to be renewed every 6 months.

Once you are certain that you have everything in place, you can start making plans for your official opening. There is lots of money to be made in the UAE, especially Dubai, for those who plan their business carefully.