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Free zone guide

SRTIP company setup next to University City, Sharjah

SRTIP (Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park) is a free zone and innovation park next to University City, Sharjah, founded in 2016. We check your activity with SRTIP, prepare and submit your application, and flag any approval you need before you commit.

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Overview

How SRTIP company setup works

Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) is a free zone and research park next to University City, Sharjah. SRTIP states it was founded in 2016 and established by a royal decree of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi to drive research, innovation and a knowledge-based economy. You will also see it called SRTI Park or SPark.

SRTIP licenses companies under a Sharjah free zone license with 100% foreign ownership. It issues commercial, service, industrial and consultancy licenses, plus specialist R&D and innovation permits, and registers FZEs, FZCs and branches.

What sets SRTIP apart is its research side. It links academia, industry and government, and gives members access to R&D labs, the SoiLab prototyping center, the SAIA accelerator and an angel investor network, alongside offices and coworking.

Your first step at SRTIP is an activity check, because some regulated activities need third-party approvals before the park can license them. We then prepare the application, submit it and follow up, while SRTIP reviews it and makes the decision.

Setup planner

Is your activity on SRTIP's official list?

Search your activity to see whether SRTIP lists it and which approvals it names, then get a setup plan in 4 short steps. A consultant sends your quotation.

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Who it's for

Who SRTIP suits

  • 01

    R&D and deep-tech startups

    Founders who need labs, prototyping and an accelerator next to their license.

  • 02

    Tech SMEs in the focus sectors

    Companies in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, sustainability or mobility that want a Sharjah free zone base.

  • 03

    Students, innovators and women in tech

    Founders who may fit SRTIP's University-Student, Innovators or Women-in-Tech packages.

  • 04

    Groups adding a branch

    UAE or foreign companies opening a branch inside a Sharjah free zone.

Our part

What we do, and what we don't

Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.

Included

  • A check that SRTIP lists your exact activity, and which approvals it names
  • A comparison with one or two other zones, if another fits you better
  • Application forms prepared, typed and submitted to SRTIP
  • Document checks, plus translation and attestation guidance for corporate shareholders
  • Follow-up with the zone until it makes a decision
  • Post-license guidance on your establishment card, visas and corporate tax registration

Not included

  • We don't issue SRTIP licenses; the zone's authority decides.
  • We don't decide bank account applications; banks apply their own policies.
  • Work outside the free zone needs separate approvals; we explain the options, the authorities decide.
  • We don't give legal or tax advice on complex group structures; a licensed adviser can.
Documents

Documents you'll need

  • Passport copies for all shareholders and the manager
  • Emirates ID and residence visa copies, if you live in the UAE
  • Your chosen activities and a shortlist of trade name options
  • A short business plan or activity description, if the zone asks for one
  • For corporate shareholders: certificate of incorporation, constitutional documents, a board resolution and a good standing letter, attested for UAE use

SRTIP sets its own document list; we confirm it for your activity before you apply.

Fees and timing

Two fees, shown separately

  • Government fees, paid at cost

    Set by SRTIP and paid at cost. Your consultant sends a written quotation with every fee before you pay.

  • Global Sky PRO service fee

    Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.

  • Timing

    Depends on your activity, any approvals and how quickly documents and attestations are ready. We give you a realistic plan once your activity is confirmed.

Process

How it works, step by step

Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.

  • You
  • Global Sky PRO
  • Authority

  1. Step 1: Tell us your activity and plans

    You

    Share what you will do, where your customers are, how many visas you need and what workspace suits you.

  2. Step 2: Check SRTIP's official list

    Global Sky PRO

    We confirm your exact activity is on SRTIP's list, note any approval it needs and compare other zones if they fit better.

  3. Step 3: Approve your quotation

    You

    Your consultant sends a written quotation with every zone fee and our service fee. Send the documents on your checklist.

  4. Step 4: Prepare and submit

    Global Sky PRO

    We type the application, check every document for consistency and submit the file to SRTIP.

  5. Step 5: Zone review and decision

    Authority

    SRTIP reviews the application, may ask for more information and decides whether to issue the license.

  6. Step 6: License and next steps

    Global Sky PRO

    Once the license is issued, we guide you through the establishment card, residence visas and corporate tax registration.

Good to know

Details that save time

SRTIP company types and license options

SRTIP registers four types of entity: a Free Zone Establishment (FZE) with one shareholder, a Free Zone Company (FZC) with at least two shareholders, a branch of a UAE company and a branch of a foreign company. An FZE's single shareholder can be a person or a corporate entity.

Licenses cover commercial, service, industrial and consultancy activities, plus specialist R&D and innovation-focused permits, and SRTIP lists more than 1,500 business activities. It says compatible activities can share one license, and that you can add activities or change your legal structure later.

  • Packages: Real-Estate (offices), Startup, Innovators, Women-in-Tech and University-Student
  • No local shareholder required; 100% foreign ownership permitted
  • No mandated paid-up capital for most licenses, under SRTIP's internal policy
  • Third-party approvals needed for certain regulated activities
  • Most foreign investors need no NOC; UAE residents may need one from their employer or sponsor

Focus sectors, labs and startup programs

SRTIP lists four focus areas, and its labs and programs are built around them. If your business fits one of these areas, the research facilities and accelerator are the main reason to choose SRTIP over a general business free zone.

SoiLab, which SRTIP calls the first open-access prototyping center in Sharjah, has a wood shop, metal shop, laser studio, 3D studio and electronics lab, with access primarily reserved for SRTIP members. The Sharjah Business Angels Network (SBAN) backs early-stage startups.

  • Advanced manufacturing: precision manufacturing in aerospace and automotive
  • Healthcare: medical devices, AI-driven solutions, hospital automation and Insurtech
  • Sustainability and environmental technology: waste management and precision agriculture
  • Mobility and logistics digitalization: autonomous, smart transportation
  • Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator (SAIA): up to 10 growth-stage scale-ups per cohort, in domains from waste management to InsurTech and smart materials

Workspace, premises and visas at SRTIP

SRTIP offers fully equipped offices with access to a business center, flexible coworking for startups and R&D labs, all next to University City, Sharjah. Its setup order is: reserve a trade name, get initial approval, submit an action plan and constitutional documents, sign a lease, receive the license, then secure visas and Emirates IDs for staff.

Because the lease comes before the license, your workspace is part of the application, not an afterthought. SRTIP's setup pages do not list visa numbers per workspace, so we confirm the allocation for the space you pick before you commit.

  • On-site event venues include The Colosseum, 39 Clouds, Park Oasis and Innovation Lounge
  • SAIA lists discounted coworking and office space at SPark for selected startups
  • SRTIP lists guidance on residency options, including Golden Visas

Working with mainland customers from SRTIP

SRTIP lists a dual licensing option covering the free zone and the mainland among its offerings, but its pages do not explain how the option works or which activities it covers. Its definition of a local branch also mentions a branch of a free zone company expanding into the mainland.

Before you rely on either route for UAE customers, we ask SRTIP what applies to your activity, which other authority is involved and what approvals are needed. You then decide with the full picture rather than a headline.

SRTIP vs Dubai Silicon Oasis vs Shams for tech companies

The right choice between these three depends on whether you need research infrastructure, a Dubai technology campus or a media and creative base. All three are free zones, but each is built for a different kind of founder.

If Dubai mainland customers matter, Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 regulates how Dubai free zone companies, such as those in DSO, work on the mainland: a branch outside the zone, a branch operating from the zone, or a temporary permit, each with the zone's prior approval. For SRTIP and Shams, we check what the Sharjah authorities require for your case.

  • SRTIP (Sharjah): R&D labs, the SoiLab prototyping center, the SAIA accelerator and an angel network, next to University City
  • Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO): a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) and an integrated free zone technology park, home to the Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Campus (Dtec)
  • DSO states its flexi desk package allows up to two residency visas per flexi desk
  • Shams (Sharjah Media City): a free zone in Al Messaned, Sharjah, dedicated to media and creativity, with fully online setup and up to five activities per license

Questions to answer before you choose SRTIP

Headline offers rarely tell the whole story. We answer these for your activity before you decide.

  • Is your exact activity on SRTIP's official list, or only something close to it?
  • Does the activity need approval from another regulator first?
  • Which workspace options are available, and how many visas does each allow?
  • What does renewal involve each year, and which costs recur?
  • Will most of your customers be in the zone, abroad or on the mainland?
Compare zones

Other free zones to compare

If this zone doesn't fit your activity, visas or budget, one of these may. Each guide is checked against the zone's own website.

Swipe to see all 8 zones

Logos and names are trademarks of their owners, shown only to identify each free zone. Facts are from each zone's own website, checked on 4 November 2026.

FAQs

SRTIP: your questions

Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.

Still have a question?

An adviser replies during opening hours, Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00.

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Is SRTIP a free zone in Sharjah?

Yes. Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) offers 100% foreign ownership in its free zone and sits next to University City, Sharjah. SRTIP states it was founded in 2016 and established by a royal decree of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The park also uses the names SRTI Park and SPark, so you may see all three on official documents.

Source: SRTIP: About SRTI Park

What company types can I register at SRTIP?

SRTIP registers four types of entity. A Free Zone Establishment (FZE) has one shareholder, who can be a person or a corporate entity, and a Free Zone Company (FZC) has at least two. Existing businesses can open a branch of a UAE company or a branch of a foreign company. We check which structure suits your shareholders and which documents SRTIP asks for.

Source: SRTIP: Establishing Companies & Institutions

What license types does SRTIP issue?

SRTIP issues commercial, service, industrial and consultancy licenses, along with specialist R&D and innovation-focused permits. It also lists packages for different founders: Real-Estate (offices), Startup, Innovators, Women-in-Tech and University-Student. SRTIP says compatible activities can share one license, and certain regulated activities need third-party approvals, so we check your activities together before you apply.

Source: SRTIP: Freezone & Business Setup

Do I need a local shareholder or minimum capital at SRTIP?

No local shareholder is required at SRTIP, and 100% foreign ownership is permitted. SRTIP also states that there is no mandated paid-up capital for most licenses, as an internal park policy. Because that covers most licenses rather than all of them, we confirm the capital position for your exact activity and structure before you sign anything.

Source: SRTIP: Establishing Companies & Institutions

Can an SRTIP company work with mainland customers?

SRTIP lists a dual licensing option covering the free zone and the mainland among its offerings, but its pages do not set out how that option works. Its branch definitions also mention a free zone company expanding into the mainland. We ask SRTIP what applies to your activity, and which approvals are needed, before you plan on mainland sales.

Source: SRTIP: Freezone & Business Setup

How much does SRTIP company setup cost?

It depends on your activities, the license term, your workspace and how many visas you need. Rather than a headline price that may not fit your plans, your consultant sends a written quotation with every SRTIP fee and our service fee shown separately, so you can compare before you pay anything.

Source: SRTIP: Freezone & Business Setup

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Licenses are issued by the relevant authority (DET for Dubai mainland, or the chosen free zone authority). Global Sky PRO prepares and submits your application. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.

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