DIEZ Zone Companies Up 13%, Workforce Grows 24% in H1 2026
Occupancy holds at 96% across three economic zones as AI firms and startup investments drive DIEZ's H1 2026 growth.
DIEZ, the Dubai authority that runs three of the emirate's economic zones, reported a 13% increase in the number of companies operating across them in the first half of 2026. The workforce in those zones grew 24% compared with the same period last year, a faster pace than the rise in company numbers. The three zones — Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai CommerCity — ended the half with an occupancy rate of 96%.
The half-year results extend a strong run. DIEZ reported a record AED491 billion in trade in 2025, and the new numbers show the zones building on that base. Near-full occupancy means the immediate question is not how to attract tenants at any cost. It is what kind of companies the zones should hold as growth shifts toward technology.
Chairman points to resilience
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of DIEZ, said the H1 2026 results reflect the resilience of the authority's economic model. They also reinforce the confidence of companies and investors in Dubai's business environment, he said. His comments frame the half-year figures as a signal for the wider emirate, not just for the three zones themselves.
Two projects at Dubai Silicon Oasis
DIEZ launched two expansion projects at Dubai Silicon Oasis during the half year. District IO, backed by AED11 billion in investment, is planned to provide the infrastructure for research, development, and future technologies. It is a specific bet on R&D rather than a generic addition of office floors. Block 14, launched alongside District IO, targets a different audience. Its first phase carries AED1.8 billion in investment and will include a commercial building, two residential buildings, and a retail district. The project sits adjacent to a planned Dubai Metro Blue Line station, placing it on a future connection to the wider city. Completion of the first phase is scheduled for 2029.
AI firms and startup funding climb
Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, said the authority will enhance competitiveness by developing its services, accelerating digital transformation, and deploying artificial intelligence across its operations. The tenant numbers show why that agenda matters. The count of AI-specialist companies at DIEZ rose 95% in H1 2026.
Oraseya Capital, DIEZ's investment arm, invested in 15 startups in H1 2026, a 25% increase over the previous year. The Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus, the authority's startup hub, saw new company registrations climb 57% from H1 2025. Read together, the figures describe a zone system leaning harder into technology: more AI firms, more registrations at the entrepreneur campus, and more venture activity from DIEZ's own investment arm.
The 96% occupancy rate carries its own implication. With little empty space left, DIEZ cannot count on adding floors to drive growth. The alternatives are to build infrastructure like District IO, strengthen the services around existing tenants, and place earlier bets on the startups that will one day need space. The AED491 billion in trade recorded in 2025 remains the measure of the zones' commercial scale. The H1 2026 data suggests DIEZ is now trying to make that scale more technological.
