Paul Dawalibi On Ras Al Khaimah’s Innovation City Being The UAE's "Free Zone Of The Future"

As the UAE sharpens its edge as a global hub for innovation, a new free zone is stepping forward with ambitions that go beyond conventional models. Ras Al Khaimah's Innovation City, led by CEO Paul Dawalibi, is positioning itself as a destination purpose-built for tech businesses of the future.

Speaking to Inc. Arabia at this year’s edition of GITEX Global, Dawalibi said that Innovation City is being built as an ecosystem analogous to that of Silicon Valley, such that every one in the free zone will find themselves surrounded by a likeminded community comprising of creators and builders.

“We've built a free zone now with all of the offering, from the service, right through to the ecosystem and the community around it, that is really tailormade for you, and so, we like to say that you belong,” Dawalibi said. “When you're a technology company, when you're a technology entrepreneur, you really belong at Innovation City—you’ll feel like you belong. You go anywhere else, you’ll feel like an outsider.”

As for the industries Innovation City is choosing to focus on, Dawalibi stresses that the free zone isn’t just chasing what’s hot right now—it’s also been designed to stay prepared for what comes after. “Today, it’s cool robots, it’s AI everywhere, and Web3, but tomorrow, it could be something completely different,” he explained. “As the free zone of the future, we’re really built to embrace whatever is next.”

Check out the full video for more of Dawalibi’s insights.