Service Licence
For consultancy, advisory and professional services. The common pick for sustainability, ESG and tech-service firms.
ConsultingESG
Masdar City Free Zone Company Formation
Abu Dhabi's clean-energy and sustainability free zoneSet up inside the world's first purpose-built sustainable city. Masdar City is Abu Dhabi's hub for clean energy, tech and R&D, home to IRENA's global HQ, with 100% ownership and zero income tax.
Excellent
The world's first sustainable city
Home to IRENA's global HQ
Built by Masdar, part of Mubadala
For clean tech, R&D and ESG firms
100% ownership, zero income tax
Excellent
Masdar City
What is Masdar City Free Zone?
Masdar City Free Zone is a business zone inside the world's first purpose-built sustainable city. It sits in Abu Dhabi, about 17 km from the airport. It was built by Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company.
Masdar City is a clean-tech ecosystem first and a free zone second. It was conceived in 2008 as a low-carbon city and now hosts the global HQ of IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, alongside clean-energy firms.
The zone is built for a specific kind of business. Clean energy, sustainability, climate tech, space tech and R&D fit here. Companies come for the green ecosystem and the address, not for the lowest possible licence.
Business Benefits
Why set up your business in Masdar City?
Masdar City earns its place for one type of founder: the one building in clean energy, sustainability or the tech behind them. Here is what you get.
- A globally recognised green business address
- The IRENA and Masdar clean-energy ecosystem
- Proximity to Khalifa University research
- A low-carbon campus that supports ESG goals
- Startup and sector-focused setup packages
- A place in Abu Dhabi's sustainability agenda
- 100% foreign ownership with no local partner
- Zero personal income tax and full repatriation
An honest fit check
Is Masdar City right for your business?
Masdar City is a curated clean-tech zone, not a generic cheap-licence base. Its value is the green ecosystem and address. That is a strong fit for some businesses and wasted on others. We tell you which before you commit.
Choose Masdar City if you
- Work in clean energy or sustainability
- Build climate, space or clean tech
- Run ESG or sustainability advisory
- Want the green ecosystem and address
- Are an innovation-driven startup
- Value an Abu Dhabi capital base
Look at another zone if you
- Need a port for physical import-export
- Want financial-services regulation
- Only want the cheapest generic licence
- Have no link to the clean-tech field
Masdar's low package price pulls in businesses that never use its ecosystem. Riz & Mona tells you honestly whether the green address earns its place, or whether a plainer zone fits.
Licence Benefits
What comes with your Masdar City setup?
Every Masdar City company formation gives you the documents, workspace and access you need to trade, bank, hire and build from day one.
Trade licence
Your official Masdar City licence covering the clean-tech or service activities you select. Renewable each year.
Certificate of incorporation
Legal proof your company exists inside Masdar City. Banks, clients and immigration all ask for it.
Registered Masdar address
A sustainable-city address used for banking, contracts and official filings.
Flexi-desk or workspace
A Smart Station desk or office inside the low-carbon campus, matched to your package.
Memorandum of Association
Your founding document covering shareholders, activities and governance.
Establishment card
Your company's registration with UAE immigration. Needed before any visa.
Visa eligibility
Sponsor UAE residence visas for owners, staff and research talent.
E-services portal access
Manage your licence, visas and renewals through the online One-Stop Shop.
Corporate banking access
Introductions to UAE banks that work with tech and clean-energy firms.
Licence Types
Which Masdar City licence do you need?
Masdar City issues licences across services, trading and light industry, plus sector-focused innovation packages. Your choice sets the activities you can run.
Commercial Licence
For trading clean-tech products, equipment and general goods. For selling products, not producing them.
TradingClean-tech
Industrial Licence
For light manufacturing and assembly of clean-tech goods within the zone, where the activity is approved.
Light industryAssembly
Innovation Packages
Sector-focused packages for space tech, smart mobility, women entrepreneurs and early-stage founders.
StartupsSector
Not sure which one you need?
Your licence and activities set your package, your workspace and your cost. Some sectors need extra approval. Riz & Mona confirms the right fit before you apply.
Legal Structures
Company structure options in Masdar City
Free Zone LLC (FZ-LLC)
- One or more shareholders
- A separate legal entity from you
- Limited liability on personal assets
- Scales as you add partners or staff
- Best for startups, SMEs and firms
Branch Company
- Extends a company from outside Masdar
- Runs the parent's activities
- No separate legal personality
- Parent carries full liability
- Best for firms expanding to Abu Dhabi
Single-Shareholder Setup
- The Start-Lite route for one owner
- Full control in one owner's hands
- Limited activities and lower cost
- No partner or local sponsor needed
- Best for solo founders and consultants
Pricing
How much does a Masdar City licence cost?
Masdar City works on packages, from a lean single-owner start to a full enterprise setup. Entry starts low, but your real cost follows your activities, visas and workspace. Treat every figure as indicative.
Start-Lite package
From about AED 3,500 to 7,000
A single-shareholder licence with a few activities and zero or one visa. The lean way to test the zone.
Innovation or Business package
From about AED 12,000 to 17,500
A licence with more activities, one or two visas and a flexi-desk. The common start for startups and SMEs.
Enterprise package
From about AED 27,000
A licence with three or more visas and a larger flexi-desk or office. Built for growing teams that need room.
What moves your total cost?
Package and activities
More activities and a bigger package cost more. A single-owner licence is cheap. A multi-visa enterprise setup is not.
Licence type
A service licence costs less than a trading or light-industrial one. Your activity sets the base fee.
Visa count
Each visa runs roughly AED 3,000 to 5,000, covering the permit, medical and Emirates ID. Your package sets the quota.
Workspace
A virtual or flexi-desk keeps costs low, from about AED 6,000. A private office costs more and scales with size.
Sector approvals
Regulated clean-tech and research activities may need a third-party approval, which adds time and fees.
A note on these figures
All costs shown are indicative and move with your package, activities, visas and workspace. Masdar City pricing is bundled into packages that change over time and vary by provider, so the only accurate number is a quote built around your business. Riz & Mona provides a personalised quote at no charge before you commit.
The Process
How to set up a company in Masdar City
The One-Stop Shop issues most licences within 5 to 7 days once your documents are ready. Here is the journey.
Day 1
Choose activity and package
Pick your activities and the package that fits, from Start-Lite to enterprise. This sets your licence and cost.
Day 1
Choose a structure
Select an FZ-LLC, a branch or a single-shareholder setup, based on owners and plans.
Day 1–2
Reserve your trade name
Submit your company name through the e-services portal for approval.
Day 2–3
Submit your documents
Provide your file, business plan and NOC where needed, for One-Stop Shop review.
Day 3–4
Get initial approval
The One-Stop Shop reviews your file and issues initial approval. You then settle fees.
Day 5–7
Sign and get your licence
Sign your documents, confirm your workspace, and receive your Masdar City licence.
Week 2–5
Visas and banking
Apply for the establishment card, residence visas and a corporate bank account.
Requirements
Documents needed for Masdar City company formation
Having your file ready before you apply is what keeps setup inside that five-to-seven-day window.
The list is light for individual applicants and heavier when a company is a shareholder. Masdar City also asks for a business plan for certain activities, plus an Arabic NOC. Get the individual documents ready first.
Documents issued outside the UAE need attestation before submission. Requirements shift by nationality and activity. Riz & Mona confirms your exact checklist before you prepare anything.
For corporate shareholders
Certificate of incorporation, MOA and articles of the parent, a board resolution approving the setup, power of attorney for the signatory, and passport copies of all directors.
Full process
15–25
Working days
From entry permit to Emirates ID in hand, a standard visa runs about three to five weeks once your establishment card is live.
Visa notice Visa approvals and conditions are set by UAE immigration authorities and can change without notice. Riz & Mona Consultancy handles the full process on your behalf, from establishment card to Emirates ID collection. Only the medical test and biometrics need your presence in the UAE.
Visa & Immigration
Your Masdar City licence lets your company sponsor UAE residence visas. The number follows your package and workspace. A lean package includes one visa. A larger package or office allows more.
- Investor or partner visa, renewable term
- Employee visas for your staff and team
- Dependent visas for spouse and children
- Emirates ID for every visa holder
- Golden Visa guidance for research talent
- Fast processing through the One-Stop Shop
Corporate Banking
Banking for Masdar City companies
UAE banks run close checks before opening any account. Clean-tech startups and consultancies with early income get questions on clients and funding. A clear Masdar City activity gives your file a solid base. Each bank decides on its own.
Banks, timelines and what to expect
Banks that work with tech firms
Wio BankDigital-first
Mashreq NeoBizSME-friendly
First Abu Dhabi BankAbu Dhabi-based
ADCBGrowing SMEs
Emirates NBDWidely used
Abu Dhabi Islamic BankUAE residents
Realistic account opening times
UAE resident applicant4 to 8 weeks
Non-resident applicant6 to 12 weeks
Startup or consultancy4 to 10 weeks
Digital bank3 to 7 days
- Founders should open a digital bank account first to keep working while the main account is reviewed.
- Early-stage startups face deeper review. Come with a clear picture of your clients and funding.
- Account approval and timelines are decided by each bank and are never guaranteed. Riz & Mona positions your file well but cannot promise a decision.
Inside the City
Inside the Masdar City ecosystem
Cheap licences exist everywhere. What Masdar City has that they do not is a real clean-energy ecosystem, built into one low-carbon city.
Free Zone Comparison
How does Masdar City compare in Abu Dhabi?
The real question is not Masdar City versus every UAE zone. It is Masdar City versus the Abu Dhabi zones a founder would actually shortlist. Here is that comparison.
Not sure which Abu Dhabi zone fits?
Every founder weighs ecosystem, cost and location differently. Riz & Mona compares zones against your work, your sector and your budget, then recommends one.
Start Today
Start your Masdar City company setup
From licence package to visas to bank account, Riz & Mona sets up your Masdar City company end to end, so you can build in the UAE's home for clean tech and sustainability.
Free consultation•Package pricing upfront•Licence, visa and banking•Honest fit advice
All costs are indicative and vary by package, activities and visa count. Riz & Mona provides a personalised quote before you commit.