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Saudi Arabia’s intellectual property (IP) scene logged a sharp rise in filings across all major categories in 1H 2024, according to a report (pdf) by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual property (SAIP). Patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and copyright applications saw double-digit growth in the first half of the year, reflecting heightened awareness and activity in protecting IP rights across the Kingdom, SAIP said.
By the numbers: Copyright applications saw the biggest y-o-y growth, rising 80% to 1.2k in 1H 2024. This was followed by a 20% increase in the number of patent applications filed in 1H to 4k. Meanwhile, industrial design applications grew 16% y-o-y to 913 and trademark registration applications were up 12% y-o-y to 24.3k in the first half of 2024.
Where we’re currently at: In 1H 2024 alone, some 1.9k patents were issued, up 49% compared to the same period last year, while 726 copyright certificates were issued, up 94% y-o-y. Meanwhile, about 11.3k trademarks were registered in the first half of the year, down 25% compared to those issued in 1H 2023, while 488 industrial designs were issued, down 13% y-o-y.
Aramco led the charge, accounting for 30% of all patents issued across the country in 1H, followed by energy providers Halliburton with 7% and Schlumberger Technology with 2%. Bakher Hughes and Sabic each accounted for 1% of the total issued patents over the same period, according to the report.
Saudi-based companies accounted for 59% of total trademark filings in 1H, a 4% y-o-y increase. This was followed by US-based companies with a 16% share, Chinese companies with 13%, and the UAE with 10%, according to the report. Filings from outside of the Kingdom rose 27% y-o-y.
Meanwhile, a mixed bag of players in the automotive, machinery and pharma industries led the charge in industrial design filings, with Ferrari and Alfanar each accounting for 7% of total design filings. This was followed by a 5% contribution from both Rolex SA, and 4% from each of Regeneron Pharma and Gessi.
REMEMBER- The gov’t is ramping efforts to protect IP rights in the Kingdom: The revamped investment law has set out to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for investor protection, including safeguarding intellectual property rights and commercial confidentiality in order to lure in foreign investors. Additionally, SAIP has recently rolled out new regulations for licensing to those seeking to manage IP portfolios or assist clients with matters related to patents, trademarks and copyright to align with international standards.
