Masdar City Free Zone wins three awards "Business tabloid"
DUBAI, 26 JANUARY / WAM / The Masdar City Free Zone has consolidated its presence in economic growth and sustainable innovation by receiving three prestigious awards yesterday, during the “Business Tabloid” magazine awards ceremony held in Dubai, which strengthens its position as the fastest growing free zone in the Emirates and a catalyst for entrepreneurship and technological progress.
Dr. Mohammed Al Buraiki, Executive Director of Masdar City, received the three awards on behalf of the thriving business community that has achieved exceptional growth and impact over the past year.
The Masdar City Free Zone won the award for the fastest growing free zone in the UAE. This award is given to the free zones that are the fastest growing in terms of expansion of operations and workforce.
The total number of companies attracted by the Masdar City Free Zone increased by 36%, an increase of 172% year-on-year, with nearly 1,000 new companies joining in 2025 alone, and of the more than 2,000 companies registered in the zone, there are more than 1,000 startups.
The free zone also recorded a 33% growth in job opportunities, an increase of 71% year-on-year.
It also won the Best SME Free Zone Award, given to free zones that empower SMEs through affordability, flexibility and support services.
Small and medium-sized companies constitute more than half of the companies registered in the Masdar City Free Zone, which strengthens its position as a leading launching pad for entrepreneurship projects.
The free zone provides an advanced research and development laboratory that is considered the cornerstone of its innovation system, and is available to companies of all sizes.
The region enhances this comprehensive support through its simplified regulatory procedures, customized business packages for different sectors, in addition to incubation and seed financing opportunities provided by Masdar City’s investment arm, “The Catalyst.”
It also won the Best Innovation/Technology Free Zone Award, which is given to free zones that support innovation, rely on research and development, and focus on technology.
The Masdar City Free Zone includes tenants in six high-impact sectors: artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, life sciences, energy, smart mobility, and space technology.
The list of tenants includes prestigious international institutions such as the International Renewable Energy Agency, the UAE Space Agency, and the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Breiki, Executive Director of Masdar City, said that the strong levels of growth achieved by Masdar during the year 2025 confirm the importance of the free zone in Masdar City as an economic engine and platform for sustainable growth. The region provides clear paths for companies to expand within a supportive and future-ready environment, and also supports Abu Dhabi’s aspirations to diversify its economy through innovation in key, high-impact sectors.
The occupancy rate in Masdar City is 99%, and it includes companies from more than 90 countries with a remarkable diversity in the tenant base, which includes companies listed on the Fortune 500 list as well as emerging projects in their early stages, which creates a unique, dynamic environment.
Organizations such as Siemens Energy, the G42 Group, the Advanced Technology Research Council, and The Catalyst, a joint initiative between Masdar City and BP to invest in clean technology, form an integral part of an interconnected ecosystem in which partnerships play a pivotal role in accelerating product launches and market entry.
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