AKIPRESS.COM - Dubai Internet City, the MENA region's largest ICT cluster, and Dubai Outsource Zone, the world's first freezone dedicated to the outsourcing industry, demonstrated significant growth over the course of 2013 and welcomed 181 new companies into their offering, Zawya reported today.

The ICT industry in the UAE is thriving with ICT expenditure forecast to grow by 5% to over $15 billion in 2014. 2013 also saw significant developments within the industry, including the announcement by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in October that Dubai would be developed into a 'Smart City' which will drive the emirate's ICT and technology industry.

Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone, which are part of TECOM Investments, a member of Dubai Holding, are now home to 1,600 business partners, which includes over 60% of the Fortune 500 companies in the Software, Hardware, Internet Services and Information Technology Companies category including Microsoft, Oracle, Dell and Facebook, as well as leading global multinationals and local SMEs and start-ups.

Dubai Internet City (DIC) is the Middle East and North Africa's largest ICT hub. Since 2000, DIC has successfully developed a prosperous ecosystem for technology organizations.