Frequently Asked Questions

A: Sandbox Dubai is a centralized platform across the Government of Dubai focused on regulatory modernisation – a key component of Dubai’s D33 economic agenda, seeking to establish Dubai as one of the top 3 cities to invest, live and work in.

Sandbox Dubai enables businesses and entrepreneurs to test market-ready products, services, and technologies in a real- world environment with temporary regulatory relief and adaptive supervision. The program is guided by regulators and industry experts, allowing innovators to refine their solutions and accelerate their path to market, while enhancing regulators’ readiness for future challenges.

A: Sandbox Dubai is open to startups, scale-ups, and established businesses across our prioritised sectors who have innovative, market-ready solutions that are looking to test and scale but cannot enter the Dubai market with the current regulatory regime, face significant regulatory challenges, or a lack of regulatory clarity especially in newer sectors. When a new Sandbox is open for application, more details will be provided regarding the experiment scope and criteria for participants.

A: Sandbox Dubai stands out by serving as a bridge between regulators and innovators, fostering collaboration and alignment to create adaptive and efficient regulatory frameworks.

For regulators, it provides access to legal and technical expertise, enabling evidence-driven, systematic approaches to regulatory changes.

For innovators, it offers tailored, end-to-end support to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, ensures regulatory certainty by permitting time-bound experiments, and removes unnecessary barriers to accelerate market entry. This unique dual approach positions Sandbox Dubai as a catalyst for innovation and progress.

A: Applications can be submitted through the Sandbox Dubai website when the application opens. After receiving your application, a team of reviewers consisting of regulators and subject experts will determine eligibility based on pre-defined criteria. 

A: Sandbox Dubai evaluates applicants using a structured framework. Eligible projects usually involve regulatory challenges that cannot be resolved by a single regulator and require collaborative regulatory solutions.

Innovations should demonstrate technological or business model novelty, be close to market readiness, and demonstrate true market demand. Additionally, applications are assessed for their economic and social benefits, alignment with Dubai’s strategic priorities, and the ability to manage associated risks effectively.

A: There is currently no application fee to apply for participation in Sandbox Dubai.

A: Sandbox Dubai provides tailored regulatory relief to innovators, allowing them to test and refine their solutions in a controlled environment without the full application of standard regulations. This could include temporary exemptions, waivers, or modifications to specific regulatory requirements, such as licensing, compliance timelines, or operational restrictions. The relief is designed to address challenges that hinder innovation while ensuring public safety, market integrity, and alignment with Dubai’s strategic priorities. By offering this flexibility, Sandbox Dubai enables participants to experiment, gather evidence, and validate their solutions before scaling to full regulatory compliance. 

Once participants successfully graduate from the program and the new regulatory regime is proven effective to support the innovation during experimentation, Sandbox Dubai works closely with regulators to formalize these regulatory adjustments for broader market adoption. This ensures that effective innovations can scale sustainably while aligning with Dubai’s long-term strategic priorities. 

A: While Sandbox Dubai in itself is not an investor, incubator, accelerator, or grant program, there are many other resources available across the Dubai ecosystem to provide you with funding and various other forms of support for entrepreneurs. 

A: The experimentation phase typically lasts 6-12 months but may vary based on the needs of the innovation, the regulatory requirements in question, and any potential modifications or iterations in scope. 

A: Absolutely. Sandbox Dubai adheres to strict data privacy and security standards to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of participant data, in line with Dubai’s data protection laws.

A: In certain circumstances, the sandbox experimentation phase may be extended if the specific, predefined success criteria for the experiment are not met. However, in all other cases, if you fail to meet regulatory requirements after your temporary regulatory relief has expired at the end of the experimentation phase, you will no longer be permitted to serve customers in Dubai until full regulations are issued and you are able to comply with their requirements.

A: Sandbox Dubai provides regulators with a controlled environment to gather insights on emerging technologies and new business models. This approach enables the development of data-driven, evidence-based policies that foster innovation while safeguarding the public interest. Additionally, Sandbox Dubai facilitates increased collaboration between local and international regulators, promoting knowledge exchange and alignment with global best practices, ultimately enhancing regulatory frameworks to better accommodate innovation. 

A: Upon completing the Sandbox Dubai program, participants will have tested and validated their innovations in a controlled regulatory environment. If the solution is deemed successful, Sandbox Dubai facilitates the transition to full market adoption by supporting regulators in formalizing any temporary regulatory adjustments used during the program. This may include updating or introducing new regulations to enable the broader implementation of the innovation. Additionally, participants gain valuable insights, credibility, and connections with key stakeholders, positioning them for scaling and commercial success. For projects requiring further refinement, Sandbox Dubai provides guidance on next steps, ensuring innovators remain aligned with Dubai’s strategic goals for sustainable development and innovation leadership 

A: Yes, Sandbox Dubai fosters open communication between participants and regulatory bodies, allowing innovators to receive feedback and guidance on compliance, as well as insights to refine their product or service.

A: Yes, international companies with market-ready solutions are encouraged to apply, provided they meet eligibility requirements. Sandbox Dubai aims to support innovations that can contribute to Dubai’s growth as a global innovation hub and position it as an exporter of new concepts.

A: Sandbox Dubai prioritizes areas aligned with Dubai's strategic goals and emerging technologies. The current focus areas are HealthTech, PropTech, GreenTech and AI. However, the specific focus areas may vary with each application cycle, so it's best to check when applying.

A: Sandbox Dubai is designed to facilitate multi-sectoral regulatory collaboration. If your innovation spans multiple regulatory domains, Sandbox Dubai will coordinate with the relevant authorities to provide a cohesive regulatory approach.

A: The number of participants accepted into each cohort may vary depending on the quality of applications, the complexity of the innovations, and the resources available. Sandbox Dubai aims to maintain a balance that allows for meaningful support and oversight for each participant to ensure optimum conditions for experimentation.

A: Yes, Sandbox Dubai welcomes collaborative applications from multiple companies, especially if the proposed innovation requires expertise from different domains. Such collaborations should be clearly outlined in the application, detailing each party's role and contributions.

A: Previous participation in other sandbox programs doesn't disqualify you from applying to Sandbox Dubai. In fact, such experience might be beneficial. However, you should thoroughly assess how testing in Dubai's unique ecosystem would add value to your innovation and the Emirate of Dubai.

A: While the formal program has a defined end, Sandbox Dubai often maintains relationships with alumni. This may include invitations to industry events, introductions to potential partners or investors, and opportunities to provide insights for future regulatory developments.