Amazon has launched the Intellectual Property Accelerator (IP Accelerator) program in the UAE, making it easier and more cost effective for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to obtain trademarks, protect their brands, and tackle infringing goods on Amazon.ae.
Available to any brand selling on Amazon.ae, IP Accelerator directly connects SMB owners in the UAE with a curated network of local law firms charging reduced, pre-negotiated rates on key services, giving SMBs access to expert legal and general IP advice that may otherwise be cost-prohibitive or hard to find. To date, participating law firms in the UAE are SABA IP and Cedar White Bradley (CWB).
Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President for Amazon Middle East and North Africa, said: “At Amazon, we committed to supporting sellers of all sizes, innovating and introducing new resources to help them confidently grow their business online and continue to connect with millions of customers. Today, we are excited to launch the IP Accelerator program, another tool that will help businesses save time and effort, as they safeguard their brands and gain customer trust. We are equally thrilled to launch this new program as sellers prepare to delight customers during the end-of-year shopping season, which includes White Friday.”
The expansion of the IP Accelerator program into the UAE will enable businesses to connect with law firms and file a trademark with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy, making it easier and more cost effective for SMBs to obtain IP rights, protect their brands, and tackle counterfeit goods.
The program facilitates the process by working with lawyers who are skilled in drafting trademark applications and can help remove common obstacles that could otherwise further delay the issuance of a registration.
In addition to IP Accelerator, Amazon’s brand protection tools help businesses of all sizes protect their brand and IP even whilst their trademark application is pending. Amazon’s Brand Registry is a free service that provides SMBs with powerful tools that help them manage and protect their brand and IP rights in Amazon stores.
Participants benefit from Amazon’s automated, data-driven protections that proactively remove suspected infringing or inaccurate content as well as tools that enable brands to report suspected infringement. Enrollment in Brand Registry also provides brands with greater influence over product information displayed on Amazon’s product detail pages to help customers make confident, informed purchasing decisions.