Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec)2027 deadline, funding, equity and how to apply

Dtec, the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus, is a startup campus and coworking hub owned by the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA). It opened in March 2015 in Dubai Silicon Oasis and grew out of Silicon Oasis Founders, an incubator DSOA launched in 2012. Gulf News has described it as the largest startup centre in the Middle East.

Dtec is not an accelerator with a fixed cohort. It is a place to set up a company and work. Its packages combine a free zone licence in Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE residence visas and a desk or office, which makes it one of the cheaper ways for a tech founder to get a legal entity in Dubai.

The Flexi Desk plan costs AED 18,000 for the first year with two visas. A Fixed Desk is AED 24,200 with three visas, and furnished private offices start at AED 47,820. Dtec reports about 1,000 startups from 70 nationalities, 4,000 jobs created and 25 investments through its venture arm.

It runs events, workshops, hackathons, an annual pitch competition and acceleration programs with corporate partners. Early-stage investment is handled by Oraseya Capital, the DSOA-backed venture arm linked from the Dtec site. Dtec suits solo founders and small teams who need a licence, visas and a low-cost base in Dubai.

Dtec works as an annual membership, not a cohort. Each plan includes free zone company setup in Dubai Silicon Oasis, visa processing, Wi-Fi, 24/7 key card access, bookable meeting rooms, lockers and professional advice sessions. Flexi Desk members use any free desk in common areas.

Fixed Desk members get a reserved desk with storage and a landline option. Private offices range from 12 to 50 square metres with utilities included. Members can attend Dtec events, training workshops, hackathons and one-on-one advisory sessions.

Dtec also runs acceleration programs with corporate and government partners and an annual pitch competition. Each of these has its own call and criteria.