Innovation drives business growth, and to maintain the value of your invention, it should be protected. For business and innovators in the UAE, one of the key strategies to secure their inventions is by filing a patent application. The UAE has a diversified economy, and because of this, the competition in the business sector is really high. When you are working on a project, you will create materials that need to be kept confidential.
If this material is exposed, it could affect the patentability of your invention or, in the worst case, someone else could file a patent for your invention. Novelty plays a crucial role in obtaining patent protection in the UAE; therefore, innovators and entrepreneurs should secure the confidential information related to their invention.
Why is patent protection necessary to secure your invention in the UAE?
A patent can offer exclusive rights for an invention for a period of time in the UAE. If a business needs to secure its new ideas or processes, then filing a patent application will be an effective way. A patent in the UAE will ensure your invention is protected from unauthorised copying or misuse of your creation. If you acquire a patent for an invention in the UAE, then you can prevent others from filing a similar one. Businesses can sell or license their patent based on their requirements. A strong patent will provide you with a competitive edge, improve the market value, and also attract investment.
Confidentiality in Patenting
Businesses should keep their inventions secret before filing a patent application. While you are working on a project, you need to test and develop your ideas. During this process, you need to keep the information secure. Keep important details of your design, idea or process hidden from others. Public disclosure or online publication could affect the patentability of your invention. UAE offers a 12-month grace period for innovators. Disclosure of the invention within the grace period from the filing period won’t affect the novelty.
Confidentiality of the patent will be useful for commercialisation. Businesses may need to pitch their ideas to their investors or partners. Inventors should ensure that a non-disclosure agreement is in place while doing so. Try not to disclose the information to the suppliers and potential consumers. While doing online marketing, ensure that the sensitive information related to your invention is not disclosed.
How to secure your invention in the UAE?
A business should secure the important details of its invention before it obtains a Patent in the UAE. There could be several features of the invention that determine novelty, inventive step, and also its uniqueness. If these details are not secured, it could lead to lots of issues. Maybe the process of developing a product is unique, and it needs to be protected to ensure confidentiality. Therefore, while developing a product business needs to file early so that it can prevent others from filing a similar invention. The UAE Federal Law No. 11 of 2021 regulates the registration and protection of inventions in the UAE.
Keep your ideas confidential before patenting
Businesses should avoid sharing confidential information without a Non-disclosure agreement. Try to avoid unwanted legal battles; your partner or other parties may file for a Patent for something similar, and an NDA can prevent this. Before sharing confidential information, ensure that the external party signs the NDA.
Detailed documentation
Keep appropriate records of the drawings and description of the invention with an accurate date; this is a crucial part in securing your invention. If someone else files for a similar Patent, then you can oppose it with relevant documents. Documents can act as strong evidence during legal proceedings; they will help you to prove that you have been working on this project for a while.
Internal confidentiality
Confidentiality must be safeguarded not only in external communications but also within the organisation. Employees engaged in development, testing, or marketing activities should be fully aware of the importance of maintaining secrecy before a patent application is filed. There should be relevant internal policies, training sessions, and restricted access to information.
How can Jitendra Intellectual Property help businesses to secure their confidential information related to Intellectual Property?
Companies should secure their Intellectual Property rights to sustain in the UAE’s competitive business market. A patent is a crucial IP right of a business to secure its invention, and it should be done with utmost care by keeping the important details of your invention confidential. Jitendra Intellectual Property helps businesses to secure their IP rights intact. Our IP professionals will ensure that a strong non-disclosure agreement is in place to maintain the confidentiality of your invention during the development stage. We can help businesses in the UAE with IP registration, monitoring, and enforcement.
