DET and Dubai Future Foundation make IP Clinic an ongoing service for Emirati founders
By Catherine Smith GST 2 min read
Eligible Emirati founders can register for one-to-one sessions on trademark classes, ownership and priorities before they begin IP registration.
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) said on Monday that their Intellectual Property Clinic is now an ongoing one-to-one service, open to eligible Emirati founders who register interest through DFF.
The sessions give founders practical guidance before they begin intellectual property (IP) registration, helping them decide what to prioritise first and what the critical next steps are. The service follows a pilot phase.
Eligible Emirati founders can register their interest on the DFF IP Clinics page. Fees and session length were not given.
Each session is led by DFF and starts with the founder’s business, brand and differentiators rather than with a form.
From there, it helps the founder identify which brand assets may warrant protection. It also covers trademark classes and ownership, and sets the most appropriate next steps for the business.
The authorities describe this as a strategy-first approach. It treats IP as a commercial asset that can strengthen ownership of names, logos and other brand identifiers.
That ownership, they said, can support future investment, licensing, franchising, export and expansion. They added that investors and franchise partners increasingly look for clear brand ownership before committing capital or entering a licensing arrangement.
Khalifa Al Qama, Chief of Research, Development and Innovation at DFF, said: “The strongest intellectual property strategies for new businesses begin before an application is even filed.”
The pilot validated the strategy-first model and shaped the method that will now be offered to a wider group of eligible entrepreneurs. DFF has developed the clinic materials and the delivery framework needed for the wider rollout.
The clinic does not replace registration. It complements existing federal IP registration processes and adds an advisory layer before filing.
The aim is for founders to approach registration with greater clarity on their priorities, documentation, ownership considerations and potential trademark strategy.
The IP Clinic is part of the Dubai IP Hub, launched in 2024 by DFF and the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. The hub is Dubai’s gateway to intellectual property, offering guidance and resources from planning and registration to management and commercialisation.
It is aimed at innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, scientists, artists and researchers.
Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), which is part of DET, said the clinic is helping Emirati founders “move from awareness to action”. He said that means understanding what they have created, what may be worth protecting and how stronger ownership can support investment, franchising and expansion.
The authorities link the initiative to the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033 and strengthen its position as an international hub for small and medium-sized enterprises.
