Ministry of Economy launches ‘Patent Hive' initiative to support inventors in patent registration and strengthen UAE's global competitiveness in innovation and creativity

Abu Dhabi, 7 January 2025:

The Ministry of Economy launched the ‘Patent Hive' initiative to boost the approval rate of patents, encourage innovation, and motivate talents to submit patent applications. By reducing registration expenses and accelerating the patenting process, the initiative aims to drive a significant increase in the number of patents registered in the UAE, enhancing the nation's competitiveness on regional and global fronts in innovation and creativity.

The initiative was introduced during an event organised by the Ministry of Economy, bringing together representatives from universities and research centers to discuss strategies for supporting the initiative. The event emphasised the critical role of public-private sector collaboration in achieving the initiative's objectives and explored opportunities to engage students, innovators, and scientific research centers through tailored incentives and partnerships.

H.E. Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, emphasised that, under the visionary guidance of the UAE's wise leadership, the country has made significant strides in advancing the intellectual property (IP) sector, a vital cornerstone for driving the growth of the national economy. The UAE has actively created a conducive environment for IP protection in different fields, with a particular focus on adhering to best global practices in patent registration and documentation. Additionally, the country has offered several supportive enablers and facilities to foster innovation, research, and development-based initiatives.

H.E. Al Saleh said, “The Patent Hive initiative is a major step in the Ministry of Economy's efforts to promote a conducive environment for creativity and innovation. Designed to attract individuals with groundbreaking ideas and projects across key economic sectors, the initiative aligns perfectly with the goals of the‘We the UAE 2031' Vision, which aims to position the UAE as a leading global hub for the new economy. Additionally, the initiative seeks to solidify UAE's position among the top 15 countries on the Global Innovation Index (GII).”

This latest initiative comes as part of the IP ecosystem, launched by the Ministry at the beginning of last year, in partnership with public and private sectors. This ecosystem represents a crucial milestone in UAE's transition towards a knowledge-driven, innovation-based economy.

The Patent Hive initiative encompasses a range of strategies designed to create a comprehensive ecosystem that streamlines the process of patent registration. The main objective of this endeavor is to reduce the time needed for patent registration from 42 months to only 6 months. The initiative seeks to increase the number of registered patents from 4,481 to 6,000 by 2026, reinforcing the UAE's position as a global hub for innovation.

To encourage innovation among students and young scholars, the initiative provides a range of incentives, including reduced registration fees for students and a zero-cost policy for young people under the age of 21. These measures aim to foster collaboration and integration among the UAE's scientific research sectors, universities, and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Additionally, the initiative includes specialised training programs and technical consultations provided by the Ministry in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These efforts are focused on building capacities of the local workforce and raising awareness about the significance of IP. The initiative also aims to create a manual that will facilitate the coordination and joint operations between the Ministry and the scientific research sectors, defining roles and responsibilities to ensure the delivery of high-quality outputs.

The event also marked the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various universities, research centers, and participating entities to foster collaboration and align efforts towards achieving the project's objectives. These agreements aim to establish performance indicators for research outcomes and evaluate their impact on increasing the number of registered patents in the country.