Unlocking Intangible Assets: Saudi Arabia Launches National IP Strategy to Fuel Vision 2030

The big picture: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet approved a National Intellectual Property Policy on Tuesday, giving the Kingdom its first unified framework for regulating patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intangible assets.

Why it matters: The policy plugs directly into Vision 2030’s push for a knowledge-based economy. Intellectual property (IP), the legal rights that protect inventions, brands, designs and creative works, has become a currency of its own in global markets, and investors increasingly judge countries on how well they protect it before committing capital.

The policy sets guiding principles across five priority areas: education and awareness, idea generation and creativity, IP registration and enforcement, commercial exploitation of IP, and transparent governance of related rules. Officials say the goal is to convert ideas and brands into bankable assets, attract foreign investment, and support research, development and local industry.

Empowering Innovators and Industry

Shihana Al-Azzaz, chairperson of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), called the policy a strategic step toward a more efficient IP system. She described it as a core enabler of the knowledge economy and a direct contributor to Vision 2030’s goals.

SAIP CEO Abdulaziz Al-Swailem went further, calling the approval a turning point. He said it will strengthen coordination between government bodies and stressed the need to spread awareness of IP rights across schools, universities and vocational training, arguing that this groundwork underpins creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Why Riyadh Is Doubling Down on IP

Saudi Arabia’s interest in intellectual property isn’t new, but it’s accelerating fast. The Kingdom created SAIP in 2017 to consolidate patent, trademark and copyright functions under one roof. In 2021, it rolled out a five-year National Intellectual Property Strategy built around IP creation, administration, commercialization and protection. That groundwork is now paying off: in January, the Council of Ministers approved a modernized Copyright Law, published in February, designed to address streaming, digital platforms and artificial intelligence, areas the two-decade-old previous law never anticipated.

Tuesday’s policy builds on both efforts, adding a governance layer meant to keep the system coherent as more agencies get involved. For a country trying to shift its identity from oil exporter to innovation hub, that coherence matters: intangible assets, unlike oil, only generate value if the rules around them are clear, enforceable and internationally credible.

The Kingdom’s Strategic IP Ambition

By the numbers:

• 2017: Year Saudi Arabia established SAIP as its dedicated IP regulator.
• 46th: The Kingdom’s rank in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 2025 Global Innovation Index, up from 66th in 2020, one of the fastest climbs among 139 economies tracked.
• 5th: Saudi Arabia’s regional rank among 18 economies in Northern Africa and Western Asia on the same index.
• 4 pillars, 54 projects: The scope of the National Intellectual Property Strategy launched in 2021, spanning 37 government and private agencies.
• 27 Jan., 2026: Date the Council of Ministers approved the Kingdom’s new Copyright Law.
• SAR 4.9 trillion (~$1.3 trillion): Size of the Saudi economy, of which non-oil activity now makes up 56%, according to recent government data.
• 3% to 10%: The digital economy’s targeted share of GDP by 2030, up from a 2016 baseline, per the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

What’s next: Officials expect the policy to sharpen government coordination on IP matters, give small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs stronger tools to protect their work, and support technology transfer and localization. It’s also meant to feed university research output and grow a homegrown pool of IP specialists, talent Saudi Arabia will need if it wants its knowledge economy ambitions to outlast the current investment cycle.

Consequently, the bigger test comes next: enforcement. A policy on paper builds confidence only if registration, dispute resolution and rights enforcement keep pace with the Kingdom’s rising innovation ambitions.

Saudi Arabia’s new policy reflects its growing interest in IP as a catalyst for diversification. By protecting and commercializing IP, the Kingdom aims to become a global leader in innovation. This aligns with Vision 2030’s goal of building a knowledge-based economy, reducing oil reliance, and fostering a sustainable, innovation-driven future.