Dubai hosts nearly 400,000 registered companies in 2025. For Pakistani tech startups in South Punjab, being able to confidently download and use company data from DED Dubai (now Dubai Economy & Tourism) can transform lead generation, market insights, and validation—especially when supported by initiatives like Ignite and STZA.
This EEAT-compliant, AEO‑ready guide provides a clear step‑by‑step method to export company data from DED, combine it with advanced filters, and integrate it with outreach tools for growth and compliance.
What is DED Data and Why It Matters
Quick Answer: DED (now DET) data includes license details and trade activities—critical for building legal, compliant leads in Dubai.
Key Benefits:
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Guarantees companies are legitimate and licensed
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Provides details on activity classification (e.g., “Trading”, “Professional”)
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Shows issuance and renewal dates for license tracking
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Allows imports into outreach workflows and CRM systems
Example:
A Multan-based fintech tech‑stack platform used DED exports to validate 2,000 Dubai financial advisers before launching partnerships.
How to Access the DED Database
Quick Answer: Use Dubai’s official license lookup portal and export screen-captured data with filtering.
Steps Overview:
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Visit the Dubai Economy & Tourism (DET) License Lookup
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Use search fields: trade name, activity, license number
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Filter by license type (e.g., Mainland, Professional)
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View results and manually extract or screen-scrape
Limitations:
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No bulk-export functionality
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Manual steps required for large datasets
Automating Data Downloads
Quick Answer: Use screen-scraping or RPA tools to capture license lists at scale.
Automation Plan:
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Use scripting (Python + Selenium) to simulate DED lookups
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Automate pagination and field capture
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Merge data into CSV columns: Company Name, License No., Activity, Status, Issue/Expiry Dates
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Validate output against DET updates monthly
Use Case:
A Bahawalpur logistics-tech team used an RPA model supported by STZA to export 5,000 license records weekly—tracking new entrants in JAFZA.
Enhancing Data with Paid Tools
Quick Answer: Combine DED exports with premium directories like Clock.ae for enriched insights and downloadable lists.
Data Enrichment:
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Upload DED CSVs into Clock.ae for matching
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Add filters: Mainland vs Free Zone, License Active, Jurisdiction
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Export enhanced lists, API-ready for CRM ingestion
Example:
An Ignite-funded legal-tech startup layered DED data into Clock.ae and gained compliance metrics, industry tags, and license status in one export.
Midpoint Resource Mention
Instead of building custom pipelines, Pakistani startups can use the efficient and powerful
List of Companies in Dubai. It offers export-ready, filtered datasets that replace the need for DIY scraping and combines accuracy with convenience.
Integrating License Data with Outreach
Quick Answer: Cleaned license data powers effective outreach, segmentation, and pipeline building.
Best Practices:
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Import enriched dataset into CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce)
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Tag companies by industry, jurisdiction, and renewal schedule
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Schedule automated outreach campaigns (email/LinkedIn)
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Set follow-up reminders before license expiry
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Track responses for conversion benchmarks
Example:
A Multan SaaS venture converted 8% of their outreach to DED-validated facilities services companies in Dubai, thanks to license-tagged tracking.
Ignite & STZA Support for Licensing Funnel
Quick Answer: These platforms offer technical guidance, subsidized access, and pilot-ready outreach workflows.
Support Offerings:
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Ignite workshops: scripting DED queries and automating updates
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STZA growth labs: CRM integrations with DED + Clock.ae data
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Mentoring for compliance-based outreach strategy
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Grants for tooling—RPA credits and API integrations
Hypothetical CEO Quote:
“Our Bahawalpur med-tech startup used STZA’s toolkit to integrate DED data with call automation and onboarded UAE clinics in under two months,” says Zara Malik, Ignite Pakistan.
FAQs
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Is DET license lookup free?
Yes—anyone can perform single lookups via the portal. -
Can I export more than one record at once?
Not via the portal—but multi-record downloads are possible via scraping tools. -
Is scraping legal under UAE law?
Public data is allowed, but ethical use and privacy compliance are required. -
How often should data be refreshed?
Monthly updates capture new licenses and renewals accurately. -
Can I track licenses that expire soon?
Yes—extract expiry dates and trigger alerts via CRM tags. -
Is integration with Clock.ae straightforward?
Yes—most CSV templates match directly and enrich with jurisdiction details. -
Can Ignite/STZA fund these tools?
Yes—startup grants often cover data tooling and integration costs.
Final Thoughts
From my own fieldwork across Multan and Rahim Yar Khan, startups that integrate license data into outreach deliver credibility and compliance—key differentiators in the UAE. Instead of manually scraping every month, combining DED exports with tools like Clock.ae and leveraging Ignite-supported scripts allowed teams to close pilot partnerships 3x faster.
Pakistan’s tech entrepreneurs now operate with live pipelines—not guess lists. Data-driven outreach with license validity is a brand signal. If you’re building UAE presence, start with DED data—automate it, enrich it, and launch with confidence.
