A feasibility study in the UAE and GCC is an independent analysis that determines whether a proposed business, project, or market entry is commercially, financially, technically, and operationally viable , before capital is committed. It covers market demand and sizing, competition, regulatory and licensing requirements, 3–5 year financial projections with IRR, NPV, break-even and payback period, free zone vs mainland structuring, UAE Corporate Tax (9%) implications, and risk assessment. Corvian Advisory delivers bankable, investor-ready feasibility reports across all six GCC markets in 3–5 weeks from AED 10,000 , accepted by GCC banks, lenders, investment committees, boards, free zone authorities, and DED.
A feasibility study prepared by a founder is a business plan. A feasibility study prepared by an independent CFA Charterholder is evidence , the kind that gets bank credit committees to approve financing, satisfies an investment committee, and stress-tests your market and financial assumptions before you commit capital. Corvian Advisory delivers institutional-quality feasibility studies across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman , and for cross-border investors entering the GCC from Singapore, the UK, and India. Big Four rigour, boutique attention, fixed fee, principal-led.
GCC commercial banks, project finance lenders, private equity and family office investment committees, corporate boards, and many licensing authorities require an independent feasibility study , not a sponsor-prepared business plan. Independence is the point: it signals that someone with no stake in the outcome has tested the market assumptions, challenged the financial model, and reached a conclusion they are willing to put their name to.
A sponsor-prepared study is, by definition, an advocacy document. An independent feasibility study from a CFA Charterholder and Chartered Accountant with Big 4 training is decision evidence , it includes the downside scenarios, sensitivity analysis, and risk quantification that credit committees and investment committees are required to see before they approve capital.
"Most GCC bank feasibility rejections are not because the business is unviable. They're because the report was prepared by the sponsors , and the credit committee cannot assess whether the market assumptions or financial projections are credible."
– Corvian Advisory, Managing Principal
GCC banks and project finance lenders require an independent feasibility study before approving business loans and project financing. Our reports are structured to the format credit committees expect , sensitivity analysis, break-even timeline, debt service capacity under downside scenarios, and funding structure assessment.
Every study is built on a 3–5 year integrated income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet model with market-derived assumptions. IRR, NPV (DCF-based), ROI, payback period, and break-even are calculated as standard, with conservative, base, and optimistic scenarios and UAE CT (9%) built in.
We analyse market access, UAE CT qualification (0% qualifying free zone income vs 9% mainland), 100% foreign ownership, licensing pathways, and practical operability , including ADGM and DIFC. Every report closes with a specific structuring recommendation.
Entering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, or Oman requires more than re-scaling UAE projections. We assess each market's regulatory environment, Saudisation/Emiratisation, Vision 2030 alignment, and true entry cost and timeline. Cross-border investors from Singapore, the UK, and India get one integrated GCC view.
Our mandate is an honest, independent conclusion , not confirmation of what you already believe. If the market is too small or returns don't survive scrutiny, the report says so, with evidence.
Six integrated workstreams covering market, financial, technical, operational, and legal/regulatory feasibility , structured to satisfy banks, lenders, investors, and boards, not just internal planning.
Independent demand assessment and TAM/SAM sizing for each target GCC market, built bottom-up from demand drivers. For Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 sector dynamics are incorporated; for the UAE, free zone market access restrictions are adjusted for explicitly.
Structured competitive analysis using SWOT, PESTLE, and Porter's Five Forces where they add decision value. Competitor identification and profiling, pricing analysis, market share estimates, barriers to entry, and an honest test of the proposed differentiation.
The full regulatory pathway for the activity in each market: UAE mainland (DED), ADGM, DIFC, or free zone; Saudi Ministry of Commerce; QFC in Qatar; and equivalents in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. Sector approvals, minimum capital, and workforce nationalisation costed into the model.
A 3–5 year integrated income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet model with revenue forecasting on market-derived assumptions and full cost analysis including capex and working capital. IRR, NPV, ROI, payback, and break-even calculated as standard.
Site and facility requirements, fit-out and capex costs, technology and systems, staffing plan with localisation compliance, and supply chain dependencies. For industrial projects: capacity planning, utilities, and logistics.
A structured risk assessment across market, competitive, regulatory, financial, and operational risk , each rated by likelihood and impact, with mitigants proposed. Sensitivity and scenario analysis quantifies performance under stress.
Every engagement is scoped to the decision it must support. These are the study types we deliver across the GCC , individually or combined into a single integrated report.
Feasibility conclusions depend on sector context , demand drivers, regulatory pathways, and cost structures differ materially by industry. Our GCC experience spans:
Generic feasibility templates miss the regulatory, fiscal, and market-access nuances that decide whether GCC projects succeed. These are standard scope in every Corvian engagement , not extras.
Illustrative engagements based on the mandates we run across the UAE and GCC , bank financing, cross-border market entry, and investor approval. Client identities remain confidential in all cases.
A Dubai mainland F&B operator with 3 outlets was applying for AED 4.5M bank financing to fund 2 additional locations. Two previous bank applications had been rejected because the business plan was founder-prepared. We prepared an independent feasibility study covering market demand, competitive mapping, 5-year financial projections incorporating UAE CT (9%), break-even by outlet, and loan repayment capacity under conservative and base scenarios.
A UK-based SaaS company was evaluating simultaneous UAE and Saudi Arabia market entry, needing an independent feasibility study for their UK board and Series B investors covering market size, competitive dynamics, regulatory requirements, and 3-year financial projections for each market. We included a free zone recommendation (DIFC vs mainland) and Saudisation compliance cost modelling.
An Abu Dhabi specialist GP partnership was raising capital to open a specialist dermatology and aesthetics clinic. Their investor required an independent feasibility study before committing AED 2.8M. We assessed market demand, DHA licensing, competitive landscape (14 competitors mapped), 5-year projections with break-even analysis, and UAE CT implications for the clinic's legal structure.
We publish pricing because most advisory firms do not. Every fee is fixed and agreed in a signed engagement letter before work begins , no hourly billing, no scope creep invoices, no surprises at delivery.
Single-market feasibility study for a focused business concept. Suitable for internal go / no-go decisions, angel investor discussions, or a straightforward licensing or bank application.
Comprehensive bankable feasibility study for bank submissions, project financing, and investment committee approval. Full 5-year model, IRR and NPV, sensitivity analysis, downside scenarios, and complete risk section.
GCC market entry feasibility covering two or more of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. Each market assessed independently, with consolidated projections and a multi-entity structuring recommendation.
An independent analysis of whether a proposed business, project, or market entry is viable , commercially, financially, technically, and operationally , before capital is committed. Covers market demand, competition, regulatory requirements, 3–5 year projections with IRR/NPV, free zone vs mainland structuring, UAE CT, and risk assessment.
AED 10,000 to AED 40,000. Single-market internal study: AED 10,000–18,000; bankable investor-grade study: AED 18,000–30,000; multi-market GCC entry study: AED 28,000–40,000. Every fee is fixed before work begins.
Market, financial, technical, operational, legal/regulatory, and economic feasibility. A complete bankable study integrates all of these , how every Corvian engagement is structured.
Independence from the sponsor, evidence-based market assumptions, an integrated financial model, break-even and repayment capacity analysis, sensitivity and downside scenarios, and debt capacity assessment.
When applying for bank/project financing; raising capital from investors requiring independent validation; entering a new GCC market; seeking board approval; evaluating a franchise or development; or applying for licences requiring a report.
Many UAE and GCC banks require one for business loans and project financing, particularly for start-ups, new ventures, and expansions. Sponsor-prepared studies are frequently rejected.
A business plan is prepared by founders to advocate for a strategy. A feasibility study is an independent analysis that tests whether the underlying assumptions hold and challenges them.
A feasibility study assesses a venture that does not yet exist. Due diligence investigates an existing business being acquired. See our financial due diligence and commercial due diligence services.
3–5 year integrated model (income statement, cash flow, balance sheet), break-even, IRR, NPV, ROI, payback, funding requirements, and sensitivity/scenario analysis with UAE CT and Zakat modelled.
Single-market study: 3–4 weeks. Multi-market GCC studies: 4–5 weeks. Complex projects requiring primary research: up to 6 weeks.
Yes , all six GCC markets, with Vision 2030 context, ZATCA/Zakat, GOSI, Saudisation, QFC, and local licensing as relevant per market.
Hospitality, healthcare, education, retail, real estate, manufacturing, logistics, food processing, renewable energy, technology/SaaS, and franchise concepts.
Depends on customer base, activity, ownership, and tax position. Every study includes a structured free zone vs mainland recommendation, including ADGM/DIFC.
Yes , the standard first step for foreign investors, establishing market size, regulatory requirements, entry structure, costs, and projections. We regularly support Singapore, UK, and India investors.
Tell us the concept, the target market, and the purpose , bank, investor, board, or internal decision. You'll have a fixed-fee quote within 24 hours. Confidential, no commitment.