By Rafiq Vayani
ABU DHABI: Building upon its successes, Masdar City Free Zone continues to be recognized as a leading force in economic growth and sustainable innovation. Business Tabloid Publications has honored Masdar City Free Zone with three major awards, cementing its position as the UAE’s fastest growing free zone and a catalyst for entrepreneurship and technology advancement. Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Masdar City, accepted the honors at yesterday’s ceremony on behalf of our thriving business community that has demonstrated exceptional expansion and impact over the past year.
The Fastest Growing Free Zone in UAE: Awarded for the fastest developing free zones through operation and workforce expansion.
Masdar City Free Zone achieved a +36% growth in total attracted companies (+172% YoY), with approximately 1000 new companies joining in 2025 alone. Of the over 2,000 registered businesses, over 1000 are start-ups. The Free Zone also recorded a +33% expansion in job opportunities (+71% YoY).
Best Free Zone for SMEs: Awards free zones enabling SMEs through affordability, flexibility, and support services. With more than half of registered businesses classified as small and medium enterprises, Masdar City Free Zone has firmly established itself as a premier launchpad for entrepreneurial ventures. It offers tailored company formation packages, highly flexible leases, and a range of amenities for startups, including meeting rooms and venues for events. A cornerstone of its innovative ecosystem is its state-of-the-art flexi R&D lab, accessible to businesses of all sizes, fostering crucial research and development. This comprehensive support is further enhanced by streamlined regulatory processes, sector-focused business packages, and both incubator and fund-seeding opportunities provided through its dedicated venture arm, The Catalyst.
Best Free Zone for Innovation / Technology: Recognizes innovation-led, R&D-driven, and technology-focused free zones.
The Free Zone hosts tenants across six high-impact clusters: Artificial Intelligence, Agritech, Life Sciences, Energy, Smart Mobility, and Space Technology, including globally recognized institutions such as IRENA, the UAE Space Agency, and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
“Our strong growth figures of 2025 reinforces Masdar City Free Zone’s role as a true economic enabler and a platform for sustainable growth,” said Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Masdar City. “We unlock clear pathways for businesses to scale within a supportive, future-ready ecosystem, while advancing Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification ambitions through innovation in key high-impact sectors and industries.”
The global economic landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. As nations compete to attract innovation-driven enterprises, competitive advantage increasingly lies in the ability to combine regulatory agility with purpose-built infrastructure and seamless access to capital, talent, and markets. The UAE’s strategy within this context is both deliberate and ambitious and has affirmed that startups and entrepreneurs constitute a fundamental pillar in the nation’s economic growth journey, with the country targeting more than two million registered companies by 2031 as part of its Falcon Economy vision. Free zones serve as critical accelerators in achieving this ambition, not merely facilitating registrations, but catalyzing cross-sector innovation, technology transfer, and the sustainable growth models that define 21st-century economic leadership.
Masdar City’s trajectory exemplifies this model. A 99% occupancy rate, representation from over 90 countries, and a tenant mix spanning Fortune 500 companies to seed-stage ventures create a uniquely dynamic environment. Organizations including Siemens Energy, G42, the Advanced Technology Research Council, and The Catalyst, a clean-tech investor powered by Masdar City and BP, form part of an interconnected community where partnerships accelerate commercialization and market entry.
Over the past year, hundreds of international delegations have visited Masdar City to explore partnership opportunities and study its operational model. This global interest reinforces Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a destination for companies seeking not only business growth, but also alignment with sustainability principles and access to one of the world’s most strategically positioned markets.
As Masdar City Free Zone continues its expansion, it remains focused on attracting pioneers and changemakers who recognize that the future belongs to enterprises capable of delivering both commercial returns and positive impact. The platform provides specialized licensing, world-class infrastructure, and a community united by the ambition to shape tomorrow’s economy.
