In 2020, economies across the world shrunk because of the safety measures taken in response to the global spread of the coronavirus. Although a health crisis at its core, the repercussions of COVID-19 touch social norms and economic livelihoods across markets, sectors, and industries.
However, there was one solution that helped the global population adapt to the new way of life – technology. There is no debate that digital transformation accelerated due to COVID-19 – leapfrogging technology adoption by 10 years. The world moved online, from work meetings to education, to shopping, and even tourism. Technology solution developers and providers were center staged.
Speaking to Arabian Business in an exclusive interview, Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, vice chairman and CEO of DSOA, highlights that Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority achieved a total revenue of Dh544.7 million in 2020, marking a surge of 2.7 percent from 2019.
In the same year, it attracted 1,731 new companies, raising the total number of companies registered at DSO by 2020-end to 4,936, registering a 54 percent increase from 2019. He mentioned that the value of major projects completed in DSO in 2020 reached AED4bn.
He also notes the crucial role that DSOA will be playing, as an incubator for innovation and knowledge, in-line with Dubai’s journey to become the world’s smartest and happiest city to live in, and a major player in attracting foreign investments.
Dr Al Zarooni says: “Dubai Silicon Oasis contributes to the economic development of Dubai; through the unique services and investment environment it provides for new companies. The new developments in Dubai Silicon Oasis, whether in education of advanced technology or in smart healthcare services, empower innovation through encouraging research and development.”
He stresses that including Dubai Silicon Oasis as one of the five urban centres as part of the larger Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan – a science and technology and knowledge hub that drives innovation, digital economy development and talent generation – is testament to its global status as a proof of concept for smart industries of the future.
It is also recognition of DSOA’s efforts to adopt cutting-edge technology in new sectors, in-line with the government’s directives to support the knowledge-based economy and benefit from the latest applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Dr Al Zarooni notes that the strategies and initiatives implemented in the UAE under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, enhance Dubai’s position as a leading destination that attracts foreign direct investments.
The new developments in Dubai Silicon Oasis empower innovation through encouraging research and development, Dr Al Zarooni says
Dubai Digital Park attracts multinational companies
In 2020, DSOA inaugurated its AED1.5bn Dubai Digital Park (DDP) project, spanning an area of 150,000 square metres. Since its inauguration, several multinational companies have chosen DDP as their preferred destination to house their headquarters and base their operations.
This led DDP to reach 80 percent occupancy rates for its office spaces and boutique buildings. DDP provides 60 smart city services, offered through a unified and secure platform that effectively integrates the operational requirements of enterprises with the needs of employees, residents, and visitors.
The smart services, at an investment of AED100m, aim to promote smart city initiatives that are aligned with the vision of making Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world.
1,000 start-ups
In a bid to promote and attract technology-focused start-ups, entrepreneurs and innovators, the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest tech hub and coworking space in the MENA region wholly owned by DSOA, is committed to providing advanced facilities to start-ups and entrepreneurs that are engaged in developing innovative solutions for smart cities, such as overcoming congestion, and ensuring effective waste management and energy efficiency.
Dtec is currently home to more than 1,000 start-ups from 75 countries – registering a surge of 7 percent over 2019, with many companies working on blockchain and AI technologies.
Strategically located on the intersection of Al Ain Road and Mohammad bin Zayed Road, Dubai Silicon Oasis has proved to be a preferred destination to thousands of multinational and national companies working in the high-tech industries such as Porsche, Schneider Electric, Jaguar Land Rover, Henkel, Mitsubishi Electric, W Motors and Western Digital.
DSO also boasts a pleasant community that includes residential areas, lifestyle areas, retail spaces, F&B outlets, hotels, a mall, a hospital, luxury villas, leading schools, a university, tennis hub and four mosques, proving to be one of the top favourable destinations for people looking to live and work in a modern, futuristic, and pleasant environment – gathering a population exceeding 90,000 people.
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