The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for innovation, creativity, and intellectual property (IP) protection. IP has increasingly evolved into a strategic pillar for economic growth, public welfare, and technological advancement. This shift underscores the country’s vision of building a future-ready economy, driven by advanced technology, high-value innovation, and global competitiveness.

As of September 2025, the UAE has registered 402,311 trademarks, 23,829 copyrighted works, 7,915 patents, and 11,346 industrial designs, reflecting a robust ecosystem that supports the knowledge economy and creative industries. This marks a notable year-on-year increase from September 2024, when the UAE had recorded approximately 356,408 trademarks, 20,389 copyrighted works, 5,697 patents, and 9,340 industrial designs, underscoring accelerated growth in rights registration, creative activity, and innovation-led economic confidence. Taken together, these filings represent an extraordinary volume. At one registration per hour, completing them would require about 50.8 years, nearly the same amount of time that UAE has been a nation.

This is result of a series of initiatives undertaken by the UAE government whose vision is driven by rigorous plans for the nation’s success on the international stage to become a global hub for innovation and research, especially in the field of AI.

Notwithstanding its rapid expansion and comprehensive legislative framework, the UAE’s IP regime continues to encounter structural and operational challenges. Enforcement remains particularly complex in the context of cross-border infringements, digital piracy, and online counterfeiting, where technological sophistication often outpaces regulatory responses. Additionally, limited awareness of IP rights among innovators and SME’s may result in underutilization and suboptimal commercialization of protected assets. In response, recent policy measures have increasingly emphasized institutional coordination, international cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening enforcement and enhancing IP literacy, forming the basis of the strategic developments examined in the following section.

Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Partnerships

Institutional partnerships are central to Dubai’s IP strategy, recognizing that effective IP governance extends beyond legislation alone. By enabling coordination across public, judicial, and international actors, these collaborations strengthen the practical functioning of the IP framework and reinforce the UAE’s global competitiveness.

1. ‘IP Sport’ Initiative

In February 2025, the Ministry of Economy & Tourism (MoET), in partnership with the Ministry of Sports, launched the ‘IP Sport’ initiative under the slogan: “In the world of Sport, we respect IP rights as we respect the rules of the game.”

The initiative aims to foster innovation and investment within the sports sector, cultivate a secure sporting environment, and raise awareness of IP rights among professionals. These efforts support the UAE’s broader national objectives to strengthen its global standing as a hub for creativity and innovation.

The launch event included key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Sports, Brand Owners’ Protection Group, Emirates Intellectual Property Association, UAE Sports Sciences Centre and Sports Medicine Center, Danube Sports World, International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property – UAE, and the Dubai Intellectual Property Hub. The initiative coincided with the UAE’s celebration of Innovation Month under the theme “The UAE Innovates 2025.”

H.E. Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports, emphasized that safeguarding sports trademarks, patents, and advanced technologies is vital for developing national sports infrastructure and attracting foreign investment. As sports become increasingly driven by technology, data, and global branding, the protection of IP is now crucial to competitiveness. This initiative positions the UAE as a hub for sports innovation, sports tech investment, and emerging industries like esports, ensuring that creators and companies can operate with greater confidence and long-term security.

2. Strengthening the Cultural and Creative Economy

In May, the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Economy to support the national IP ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on:

• Enhancing public awareness of the significance of intellectual property
• Supporting innovation in cultural and creative industries
• Promoting best practices in copyright protection
• Hosting workshops, seminars, and knowledge-exchange platforms
• Distributing research publications and training materials

According to Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, these initiatives empower creative talent and reinforce the UAE’s economic growth by fostering knowledge-based industries.

3. International Cooperation with Global IP Bodies

In July, the Ministry of Economy & Tourism signed a strategic MoU with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to advance legislative frameworks, policy development, and global best practices. The agreement includes:

• Supporting digital transformation and innovation projects
• Strengthening policy integration across innovation, education, and industry
• Building institutional capacities
• Creating a joint working group to monitor implementation, assess outcomes, and share technical expertise

4. Public-Private Collaboration to Boost Innovation and Patent Commercialization

In August 2025, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Science Park, a TECOM Group PJSC entity, to strengthen intellectual property (IP) protection and accelerate patent registration. The agreement reflected the UAE’s commitment to fostering innovation and promoting a knowledge-based economy.

Under the MoU, the Ministry provided legal and technical support to companies operating within Dubai Science Park and other TECOM Group business districts. The initiative aimed to protect the rights of innovators while reinforcing the UAE’s position as a global hub for IP governance.

The partnership also sought to increase the economic value of patents by facilitating their review, registration, and commercialization. By combining public and private sector expertise, the collaboration helped establish a supportive legislative and institutional framework for innovators, contributing to sustainable economic growth.

5. Collective Partnership Through the Third IP Forum

At the Third Intellectual Property Forum, the Ministry of Economy & Tourism signed a Joint Statement of Intent with eight leading IP organizations across the UAE, including:

• Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG)
• Emirates Intellectual Property Association
• Emirates Reprographic Rights Association
• Emirates Inventors Association
• Emirates Science Club
• AIPPI UAE
• UAE Esports Federation
• Emirates Association for the Gifted

The agreement seeks to promote a cohesive national IP ecosystem, strengthen collective rights management, support authors and creative professionals, and increase the contribution of cultural industries to the national GDP.

6.  Judicial Collaboration and Legislative Development

Very recently this month, Dubai Courts and the Ministry of Economy & Tourism entered into an MoU to enhance cooperation across key areas of IP, including copyright, publishing, trademarks, and patents. The partnership strengthens enforcement capacity by facilitating judicial and administrative coordination, enabling more consistent adjudication of IP disputes, and supporting legislative reforms aligned with international standards. By improving legal expertise, institutional knowledge-sharing, and judicial mechanisms, the collaboration directly addresses enforcement gaps related to digital infringement and cross-border disputes identified earlier in this article.

At the juncture, Professor Dr. Saif Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director of Dubai Courts, emphasized that protecting creators’ rights is fundamental to building a sustainable innovation ecosystem. Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy & Tourism, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to integrating national IP systems through partnerships with local and federal authorities.

Conclusion

Dubai’s emergence as a leading intellectual property jurisdiction reflects a deliberate and coordinated national strategy that positions IP as a cornerstone of economic diversification, innovation, and global competitiveness. The steady rise in registrations across trademarks, copyrights, patents, and industrial designs between 2024 and 2025 demonstrates growing confidence and stability in the UAE’s IP framework and its ability to support creators, innovators, and sow global cooperation and investments.

Ranked 30th globally in innovation, the UAE continues to advance its national objectives under the “We the UAE 2031” vision, fostering a diversified, knowledge-driven, and sustainable economy. These efforts reinforce the country’s leadership in shaping the global intellectual property landscape while promoting a resilient, technology-focused economy and safeguarding the rights of creators and innovators across critical sectors.

REFERENCES

Aghaddir Ali, ‘Dubai hosts 14th regional summit to combat rising global IP crimes’ Gulf News (Dubai, 19 November 2025) accessed 11 December 2025

Ministry of Economy & Tourism and Dubai Science Park, ‘Ministry of Economy & Tourism and Dubai Science Park enter strategic partnership to boost intellectual property protection and patent registration’ (2025) accessed 11 December 2025

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, ‘Dubai Culture and Ministry of Economy Forge Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Intellectual Property Ecosystem’ Dubai Culture (Dubai, 26 May 2025) accessed 11 December 2025.

Ministry of Economy & Tourism and Dubai Science Park, ‘Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Dubai Science Park enter strategic partnership to boost intellectual property protection and patent registration’ Ministry of Economy & Tourism (Dubai, 29 August 2025) accessed 11 December 2025.

‘Dubai Science Park Joins Ministry to Boost IP Protection’ The Finance World (Dubai, 30 August 2025) accessed 11 December 2025.

FAQ