Shoayb on Bringing R&D Tax Credits to the UAE

Presented by Shoayb Patel, Founder — RDvault

The UAE R&D tax incentive is the first of its kind in the GCC, and in this video RDvault founder Shoayb Patel explains what motivated him to bring R&D tax credits to the UAE and why the timing matters for Dubai and Abu Dhabi startups and businesses across the Emirates. The credit forms a direct part of the We the UAE 2031 vision, which targets GDP diversification, innovation leadership, and the attraction of global talent, intellectual property, and capital. The credit became effective from 1 January 2026 under Cabinet Decision 215 of 2025, offering non-refundable credits of 15 to 50 percent on qualifying R&D expenditure up to AED 5 million per period. Shoayb explains why this represents a structural shift in UAE business policy. For the first time, businesses operating here have access to a genuine non-dilutive capital mechanism tied directly to innovation activity. His background in UK R&D tax credits, combined with deep familiarity with the Frascati Manual framework that the UAE scheme is built on, positions RDvault as the firm that has been preparing for this moment since before the legislation was confirmed. If you want to understand the vision behind RDvault and why the UAE R&D tax incentive matters for founders and businesses building here, this is the right place to start.