Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the economic zone for knowledge and innovation and a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), has been honored with four awards from the Financial Times’ fDi Magazine Global Free Zones of the Year Awards. Notably, it was recognized as the Middle East Free Zone of the Year for Innovation Zones. Additionally, DSO received a ‘Highly Commended’ nod in the Global category for Innovation Zones, securing the seventh position in the Top 10 Global Free Zones of the Year 2024. It also received an honorable mention for Digital Innovation, bringing its total accolades to four.
The award for Middle East Free Zone of the Year for Innovation Zones highlights DSO’s outstanding achievements in 2024 and its commitment to fostering success within its business ecosystem.
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Enhancing competitiveness
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, director general of DSO, commented on the recognition, noting that Dubai Silicon Oasis is one of five urban hubs outlined in the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which emphasizes science, technology, and knowledge as drivers of innovation and the digital economy. He stated that the fDi Global Free Zones of the Year awards for 2024 affirm DSO’s role in enhancing Dubai’s competitiveness as a premier global destination. He emphasized that their ongoing efforts to cultivate a vibrant innovation-driven ecosystem, attracting businesses of all sizes across various sectors, are evident in the strong infrastructure they provide to partners.
Strategy for innovation
Chris Knight, managing director of fDi Intelligence, expressed his congratulations to Dubai Silicon Oasis for maintaining its position in this year’s global rankings as a Top 10 Free Zone and a regional leader in Innovation Zones. He attributed this achievement to DSO’s unparalleled strategy centered on knowledge and innovation, which fosters cutting-edge advancements across future industries. He highlighted significant collaborative initiatives with esteemed organizations such as MIT, Start2 Group, and the Dubai Future Foundation and congratulated DSO on this remarkable accomplishment.
UAE free zones’ global standing
Moreover, the UAE free zones secured six positions on the fDi’s Top 10 Global Free Zones of the Year 2024 list. More than sixty free zones worldwide were evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria. The awards were judged by a panel consisting of five external judges and one from fDi. Reflecting the evolution of free zones, this year’s awards were modified to account for the unique specializations of different zones while creating a global top 10 ranking to encompass each of the four categories.
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