Brussel, Belgium Apr 15, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Mindspa, a leading mental health startup, has emerged victorious in a trademark dispute against Estonian-based Synctuition OÜ at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). In two separate proceedings, EUIPO has blocked attempts from Synctuition (now renamed Mindspa OÜ) to register the marks 'Mindspa' and 'Synctuition Mindspa' for specific classes of goods and services, citing them as identical or too similar to the earlier mark 'Mindspa'.
The latest EUIPO rulings, dated February 9th, 2023, confirmed that the earlier trademark covers goods and services including mobile applications and meditation services. The decision upholds the rights of Mindspa, a pioneering mental health company, in protecting its brand identity and reputation, against direct competitors such as meditation app developer Synctuition.
Reportedly, the Estonian company has been infringing Mindspa's trademark since at least August 2020, by using claims such as "the one and only Mindspa", "the World's First Mindspa", etc., on promotional advertisement, mass emailing, and commercial assets, as well as committing various other documented infringements, including the sale and export of infringing products with the active involvement of other Estonian-based businesses that also chose to ignore Mindspa's repeated warnings.
Maurizio Savino, founder of Mindspa, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the EUIPO ruling. However, he expressed concern that Synctuition has yet to cease the unlawful use of the name 'Mindspa' and is continuing to infringe on Mindspa's trademark. Savino further stated that despite several reports and complaints to Apple and Google as marketplaces of mobile applications, they haven’t yet enforced the EUIPO decisions, allowing Synctuition to completely rebrand their mobile app as 'Mindspa by Synctuition'. This has resulted in great confusion among consumers who can now find two apps with the same name in the app stores.
Mindspa has issued a press release stating that it remains committed to protecting its brand and intellectual property rights, and will take all necessary legal measures to prevent further infringement and to seek compensation for damages to its business and reputation. Furthermore, the company urges Apple and Google to take swift action to enforce the EUIPO decisions and prevent any further confusion among consumers.
About Mindspa:
Mindspa is a leading mental health app that offers innovative and accessible psychological resources. The app was developed with the mission to provide individuals with tools and resources to manage their mental health and well-being effectively. Mindspa offers a wide range of evidence-based mental health programs, meditation services, and more. Mind Solutions Ltd and Mindspa Health Inc – the companies behind Mindspa – have also developed Gambless, an innovative mobile app that provides support to people affected by gambling addiction.
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