International patent applications via the Patent Cooperation Treaty reached approximately 273,900 in 2024, representing a modest 0.5% increase following a slight decline recorded the previous year. Within this global context, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a remarkable growth trajectory, with the World Intellectual Property Organisation citing the Kingdom for its exceptional rises in filing activity. Domestic patent applications at the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property reached a high of 8029 in 2024, marking a substantial 13.3% year-on-year increase. This momentum is reflected in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, where the UAE leads the Arab world at 30th globally, followed by Saudi Arabia at 46th, Qatar at 48th and Bahrain at 62nd. Sectoral trends indicate that IT and software continue to dominate the regional landscape, accounting for 25.8% of all applications filed in Saudi Arabia during 2024.
Academic Innovation
The transformation of the regional patent landscape is increasingly driven by the ascension of Saudi universities to global prominence in intellectual property (IP) output. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) notably ranked fourth globally in 2024 for the number of US utility patents granted, surpassed only by three major American university systems. This success is mirrored across the Kingdom’s higher education sector; KFUPM secured 285 issued patents in 2024 alone, while institutions like King Abdulaziz University and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) maintained their positions among the world’s most prolific academic filers.
The institutional nature of this growth is evident, as approximately 96% of all patents granted in Saudi Arabia in 2024 originated from universities and research centres rather than individual inventors. To support this high-volume output, institutions have established dedicated IP offices and innovation hubs that facilitate the transition from laboratory research to protected commercial assets. Furthermore, the Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) has implemented foundational policies on commercialisation to incentivise academic staff. These regulations guarantee that innovators receive at least a 33% share of net returns from the licensing of their inventions, fostering a culture of high-value discovery across regional campuses. This structured approach ensures that higher education remains the primary engine of the Kingdom’s innovation-led economic diversification efforts.
Market Integration
Strategic oversight of the innovation ecosystem has shifted towards the commercialisation of research and the integration of the private sector into the value chain. The RDIA is spearheading a national strategy with a target of annual research and development investment equivalent to 2.5% of GDP by 2040, an initiative forecasted to add SR60bn ($16bn) to the economy. Technology transfer is being accelerated through high-impact partnerships, such as the Technologies for Exceptional Transformation initiative launched with KAUST in December 2025. This programme is designed to fast-track the adoption of applied research within private industrial firms, ensuring that intellectual capital is translated into tangible industrial growth.
Alignment with national priorities is a key feature of current filings, with Aramco and KFUPM prioritising energy technologies, while KAUST focuses its patenting efforts on life sciences and digital infrastructure. This industrial relevance has also heightened international interest; foreign-origin patent applications in Saudi Arabia rose by 15% in 2024 to 4921. Such growth indicates increasing global confidence in the Kingdom’s legal protections and its evolving IP enforcement framework. By bridging the gap between academic theory and market reality, the region is successfully localising supply chains and creating high-value employment opportunities.
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