Incorporation • ADGM
ADGM Tech Startup License
What is an ADGM Tech Startup license?
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Benefits
Learn more about the benefits of an ADGM Tech Startup license
Access to entrepreneurship support program
Clara bundles
Save up to $795 when you bundle your formation with our platform subscription
Pre-approval
An online application with pitch deck and startup information must be submitted to Hub71 and ADGM to confirm eligibility. Pre-approval usually takes 15 working days and an endorsement letter will be issued for approved applications.
Initial Information
01
/12
Upload your business plan approved by ADGM
02
/12
Specify the company name
Providing an Arabic translation is optional.
If the company is affiliated with another company of the same name, you will need to provide their commercial license.
03
/12
Nominate an ADGM authorized signatory
04
/12
Financial records
05
/12
Nominate a data protection contact
06
/12
Articles of Association
07
/12
Share capital
08
/12
Submit and review
09
/12
Pay and sign
10
/12
Incorporation
11
/12
Track your progress
12
/12
From operating companies to holding companies and foundations, Clara’s got you covered in ADGM.
Resources & Insights
Stories, updates and resources
ADGM SPV – Your essential guide
Setting up a company in ADGM, and specifically a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), is attractive for founders and investors. Founders benefit from the speed and simplicity that ADGM’s fully digitised incorporation process achieves, while investors are attracted by the investment flexibility and legal protections that ADGM’s strong regulatory environment provides.
Clara partners with VMS to empower Mena entrepreneurs
VMS and Clara have signed a new partnership to support MENA startups by combining Clara’s legal simplification tools with VMS’s resources and innovation network. The collaboration aims to help founders reduce risk, streamline growth, and move more confidently from idea to successful venture.
Binance uses Clara to incorporate and manage ADGM entities. The team at Clara are extremely efficient and go the extra mile to ensure we always have a smooth experience and meet our deadlines. Top-notch service!
Starting a company is hard enough, but managing legal processes shouldn’t be. With Clara’s dedicated accelerator onboarding solution, companies can get the support and infrastructure they need to efficiently and professionally complete their legal due diligence and finalize an investment.
Clara is a one-stop shop for everything equity related. All our data is safe and securely stored and accurately recorded. And our investors love having direct access. It has saved us countless hours and kept our cap table mistake free.
We spend a lot of time educating founders on basic legal concepts: what they need to do for us to invest in them. Clara automates these functions. As Clara’s first institutional investor, we knew intuitively from inception, this company will be a game changer.
Founders often struggle with managing their legal function due to lack of expertise and resources. And we’ve seen poor legal structures create hurdles to our investing in otherwise healthy startups. Investors like ourselves love that Clara gives founders the tools they need to establish, grow and scale their startups from day one on a best-practice basis.
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Frequently asked questions
To complete the online pre-approval application for your ADGM Tech
Startup, you will need to have the following information:
Business Details
• Company name, website and location of headquarters
• Primary Contact Person and Email
• Alternative Email: Include Clara’s email here so we can be included in correspondence (formations@clara.co)
Business Concept
• Year founded and the stage of product development.
• Detailed description of the problem being solved or the opportunity being pursued by the company.
• What socio-economic contributions does your company intend to make to Abu Dhabi?
• What activities / sectors do you plan to engage in under the ADGM Tech Licence?
• A Pitch Deck will need to be uploaded.
UAE Operations
• Reasons for selecting Abu Dhabi as the location for establishing this company.
• Planned Location of office (Al Reem or Al Maryah Island). Details of the Team
• Will at least one of the founders, directors, C-Suite or Senior Management A Level be relocating to Abu Dhabi?
• Percentage of operating team located in Abu Dhabi (if currently based in the UAE).
Corporate Structure
• Is your company a subsidiary or even partially owned/ related party of listed or multi-national companies?
• How is your company funded? Provide details of institutional investors (if any)
From submission of your application to ADGM, the review time is typically 7 – 10 business days. However, the time leading up to submission will depend on several factors outside Clara’s control, including:
- the pre-approval from Hub71/ADGM,
- the complexity of the corporate structure and number of shareholders, and
- how quickly Clara receives documents to complete the compliance review.
Delays in incorporation are sometimes the result of delayed security clearance for the individuals appointed as the Authorised Signatories
for the company. This is unfortunately outside Clara and ADGM’s control.
Yes. The company can take up to 3 employee visas per dedicated desk or 1 visa per 8m 2 of office space taken on Al Maryah or Al Reem Island. The company can obtain visas for full-time employees; work permits for temporary workers and dependent visas for family members of visa holders. Clara can support you throughout this process. Learn more.
There are annual costs for renewing the commercial license with ADGM as well as maintaining a lease on Al Maryah or Al Reem Island. You may also need to engage the services of tax advisors or accountants to assist you with your corporate tax registration and ongoing filings.
If any changes happen to your company (for example, change in director or allotment of shares) or any stakeholder (for example, change of residential address of a director), service fees and filing fees apply to update your company records.
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