Government

The UAE Ministry of Economy has unveiled the ‘Patent Hive’ initiative, a strategic program designed to expedite patent approvals, foster innovation, and support inventors. Launched during an event attended by representatives from universities and research centers across the UAE, the initiative aims to enhance the nation's global competitiveness in creativity and intellectual property (IP).

A Vision for Global Competitiveness
H.E. Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, highlighted the UAE’s progress in advancing the IP sector under the visionary guidance of the nation’s leadership. He emphasized that the initiative aligns with the goals of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ Vision, which aspires to position the UAE among the top 15 countries on the Global Innovation Index (GII).

“The Patent Hive initiative is a pivotal step in creating an environment that nurtures creativity and innovation while reducing registration costs and streamlining processes. This is essential for fostering groundbreaking ideas and projects across key economic sectors,” Al Saleh stated.

Accelerating Patent Registration
A cornerstone of the initiative is the reduction of patent registration timelines from 42 months to just 6 months. The program also targets an increase in registered patents from 4,481 to 6,000 by 2026.

To encourage participation, the initiative introduces incentives such as reduced registration fees for students and a zero-cost policy for individuals under 21. Additionally, specialised training programs and technical consultations are being offered in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Fostering Collaboration and Innovation
The initiative promotes collaboration between universities, research centers, and SMEs through memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed during the event. These agreements establish performance indicators to measure research outcomes and their impact on patent registration.

The Ministry also announced plans to create a manual outlining roles and responsibilities for scientific research sectors and other stakeholders. This aims to ensure high-quality outputs and seamless integration of efforts across sectors.

A Milestone in UAE’s Knowledge Economy
The Patent Hive forms part of the Ministry’s broader IP ecosystem, launched last year to support the UAE’s transition to an innovation-based economy. By implementing global best practices in patent registration and offering robust support to innovators, the UAE seeks to cement its reputation as a global hub for intellectual property and technological advancement.

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