Business Setup & Bookkeeping
In-House + Partner NetworkYour UAE company, set up and tax-ready.
0% personal income tax. Up to 9% corporate tax, and nil taxable income for many smaller companies under Small Business Relief, now extended to 2029. Launch gets your company licensed through our partner, registered for corporate tax, and hands you a GTM Blueprint so the new company starts selling, not just existing.
Who this is built for
Launch is for founders who have decided the UAE makes sense and want it done properly, once.
This is for you if:
- Service, consulting, online, or creator business
- You sell internationally, not only to one local market
- You want a free zone company with 1 or 2 visas
- You plan to live in the UAE or run the company from where you are
- You want to move within the next 6 months
- You'd rather have one point of contact than five tabs of quotes
This is not for you if:
- You need a physical shop or a mainland-only activity (we'll quote that separately)
- You want tax advice from us. We don't give it; licensed partners handle the UAE side
- You expect the move alone to end your home-country tax. It may not
- You're only exploring with no timeline. Join our free community first
The UAE research spiral
Almost every founder we speak to goes through the same three stages before they move.
- 1
Month 1: The idea
You see founders you respect setting up in Dubai. The tax numbers look almost too good. You start reading.
- 2
Month 3: The spiral
Fifteen tabs of free zone comparisons. One agent quotes the license only, another bundles a desk and a visa, a third leaves out the establishment card and medicals. None of the quotes compare.
- 3
Month 6+: Still thinking
The tax year closes. Nothing has changed except how much you've read. You tell yourself you'll sort it next quarter.
What waiting is actually costing you
Not the cost of setting up. The cost of not doing it, or doing it badly.
You're a UK founder paying the additional rate
Income above £125,140 is taxed at 45%, and dividends at 39.35%. If you're relocating personally, every year of delay is another year at those rates. (Your home-country position needs its own advice.)
Your quotes don't compare
Setup quotes are built differently: license only, license plus desk, or everything except the extras. The line items left out are the ones that surprise you after you've paid.
You miss the tax election
Small Business Relief lets companies under AED 3M revenue elect nil taxable income, but it isn't automatic. You have to register and elect it on your return. Plenty of new companies don't.
Your new company has no plan to sell
A license doesn't bring clients. Founders who move without a go-to-market plan spend their first months paying UAE costs with no local pipeline.
What Launch covers
Three things, handled together.
Company setup (partner)
Structure matched to your activity, then trade license, visa, establishment card, medical, and Emirates ID, handled by our licensed setup partner.
Tax ready (partner)
Corporate tax registration and Small Business Relief election support through our licensed tax partner, so the company starts compliant.
Growth plan (in-house)
A GTM Blueprint from our team: ICP, buying signals, messaging, and a 30 to 60 day execution setup for your new market.
How it works
- 1
Apply
Tell us your business, where you're based, and what's pulling you to the UAE.
- 2
Setup and tax snapshot
A 15-minute call with the team: which free zone fits, rough costs, and your tax position. You get an exact partner quote after the call.
- 3
Setup and handover
The partner forms your company while we coordinate every step. Your GTM Blueprint arrives in 7 to 10 days, with a 45-minute walkthrough.
What's included
Structure matching
Free zone, mainland, or offshore, matched to your activity, ownership, and markets.
License and visa
Trade license, investor visa, establishment card, medical, and Emirates ID through our licensed partner.
Corporate tax registration
Registration and Small Business Relief election support through our licensed tax partner.
GTM Blueprint and bank introduction
The $197 GTM Blueprint included, plus an introduction for your UAE corporate bank account.
Why SFC Launch and not a setup agent on your own?
A setup agent gets you a license. Launch gets you a company that's registered, compliant, and ready to sell.
| Setup Agent Alone | SFC Launch | |
|---|---|---|
| Quote | Often license only, extras added later | Partner fees shown in full before you commit |
| Corporate tax | Usually a separate firm, later | Registration and SBR election included |
| Go-to-market | Not their job | GTM Blueprint included |
| Point of contact | Changes at every stage | One point of contact, start to finish |
| After the license | Handover and done | Ongoing coordination as you grow |
Investment
One package, two lines, no surprises.
SFC Launch
$500 SFC fee, one-time, plus partner costs- Partner costs (license, visa, government fees) quoted directly by our setup partner once they know your structure, invoiced separately. We don't mark them up.
- Structure matching and full coordination
- Corporate tax registration and SBR election support
- GTM Blueprint ($197 value) with 45-minute walkthrough
- UAE corporate bank account introduction
- Free property and Golden Visa consult with our real estate partner
FAQ
How long does setup take?
It depends on the free zone. Some issue the license within days once your documents are complete; visa and banking steps take longer. Your setup partner confirms the exact timeline for your zone once they have your documents, as part of your setup and tax snapshot call.
Do I have to live in the UAE?
No. You can own and run a free zone company from abroad. A residence visa is only needed if you want to live there.
Will moving my company to the UAE stop me paying tax at home?
Not automatically. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live, and UK rules depend on your personal residency and where the company is managed and controlled. Speak to a qualified tax adviser in your home country before you move. Our partners handle the UAE side; we do not give tax advice.
Why pay $500 when your setup referral is free?
Referral-only setup gets you the license. Launch adds corporate tax registration support, a full GTM Blueprint, and our coordination across every step. If you only want the license, use the UAE Business Setup page.
Is Small Business Relief guaranteed?
No. It depends on your revenue and structure, and qualifying free zone persons are excluded. Our tax partner confirms whether it applies to you.
What is your refund policy?
If you're not happy with the work we deliver in-house, tell us within 10 days of starting and we'll refund our fee for that service. After 10 days, our fee isn't refundable. Partner-delivered services, like the company setup and tax registration, follow our partner's own refund terms, since they invoice and deliver that work directly.
Ready to set up properly, once?
Apply and we'll send you a setup and tax snapshot: free zone fit, costs, and your tax position.
Apply Now