Do a Trademark Search Before You Name Your Startup
Naming is one of the earliest and most expensive decisions a startup gets wrong. A clearance search before the name goes public is a fraction of the cost of a rebrand, an opposition, or a cease-and-desist after launch.
Why search first
Adopting a name that is identical or confusingly similar to an existing mark risks rejection at examination, opposition after publication, or an infringement claim once you are in the market and invested in the brand.
What a proper search covers
Not just identical names. A clearance search looks at phonetically and visually similar marks across the relevant Nice classes, so 'sounds-alike' and 'looks-alike' conflicts surface before you commit.
Pick the right classes
India follows the 45-class Nice Classification, and you file per class. Searching and filing in the wrong class leaves gaps competitors can exploit and may miss conflicts that matter.
Search beyond the register
Common-law use of a name, even unregistered, can support an objection. A thorough search considers existing market use, not only the trademark register.
We run trademark clearance searches across the relevant classes before a name is announced - get the search done before the brand goes public, not after.
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