The Inventors Service Office under Badir Program for Technology Incubators of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has reviewed 3,217 patent applications since its establishment in 2015 up until December 2016, covering filing costs with total allocation exceeding SR13 million. According to the Inventors Office, 221 patents were granted, 57 of which were in the past year alone, and 15 of them were filed with the assistance of the Inventor's Service Office. The number of patent requests of individuals deposited at the Saudi Patent Office since the establishment of the Inventor's Service Office till end of 2016 reached 550 patent applications. Nawaf Al-Sahhaf, CEO of Badir Program for Technology Incubators, said Saudi inventors have submitted most patent applications in various fields, including engineering, aerospace, nanotechnology, petrochemicals, water, energy, physics, construction, robot and defense systems, biotechnology and nuclear. He noted that the Inventors Service Office has provided assistance and guidance to more than 3,200 inventors in the drafting of patent applications and has given specialized advice, in addition to covering the financial dues of these patents. Al-Sahhaf confirmed that Badir›s Inventors service office acted as consultant and financial advisor to the applicants depending on the idea of the inventor, and even helped the latter to carry out the preliminary background research of his invention and providing him with the result of the research so that he will know the strength of his idea and the possibility of protecting it by searching similar documents of the idea in international databases. He added: «After the inventor proves that his application is different from the other documents, the inventor receives consultancy and advice in drafting his patent application in line with the requirements of the Saudi Patent Office. The application is then submitted to the Saudi Patent Office, where all costs of the application from the deposit fees to the previous year are covered by the inventor›s service office in order to protect the application. It also follows up the status of the applications of Saudi inventors in the Saudi Patent Office to ensure that the patent applications reach the stage of granting and issuing the document.» The Inventors Office provides a wide range of services, including intellectual property consultancy, particularly in the initial patent search, drafting of patent applications and preparing replies to inspection reports issued by the Saudi Patent Office. Aside from bearing the costs of patents, the Inventors service office builds prototypes and conducts trials for high-value inventions through to the investment phase, as well as holding training programs, panel discussions and workshops to impart knowledge in the field of intellectual property. Established in 2008, Badir Program for Technology Incubators is one of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology's' programs. It is a comprehensive national program that seeks to activate and develop technical business incubators, enhance the concept of technical entrepreneurship and transform projects and technical research into successful business opportunities through the support of entrepreneurship, innovation and technology incubators and the provision of an appropriate environment for the growth of emerging technical institutions based on the principle of risk reduction and focus on business development leading to a knowledge-based society and economy in the Kingdom. — SG
