A trademark legally protects your brand’s identity — such as your name, logo, or slogan — so competitors can’t copy or misuse it. For a scaleup, trademarks secure your market position, add company value, and build investor confidence. It also avoids trademark squatting, where someone registers your trademark in your production country.

Most commonly, names and logos are trademarked, but you can also protect slogans, sounds, colors, and even packaging designs, depending on the jurisdiction.

A professional trademark search is the safest way. At Abrande, we use AI to scan global databases for identical or similar marks and flag potential conflicts instantly.

™ can be used without registration to show you claim rights to a mark. ® is reserved for registered trademarks only. However, bear in mind that the symbols do not have a legal meaning in many jurisdictions.

Typically 10 years per registration, renewable indefinitely as long as fees are paid and the mark is actively used.

Without registration, your brand is vulnerable. You may still have some rights through use, but enforcing them is harder, more expensive, and riskier. Also, you risk infringing on other trademarks without having a trademark registration in place.

You risk costly rebranding, legal disputes, and even losing the rights to use the brand identity, such as your name, if someone else registers your brand first.

Costs vary by region and classes, but Abrande offers fixed, transparent pricing so you always know upfront.

Typically from 4 to 12 months, depending on the office and potential objections. In some countries, the application process even takes several years.

National covers one country, EU trademarks cover all EU states, and international filings (via WIPO) allow you to extend protection to multiple countries from one application.

Ideally before launch or fundraising. Securing your brand early avoids conflicts and reassures investors.

The name usually carries more value and should be prioritized; however, this depends on what products and services you offer. As the name typically remains the same over time, it should be prioritized on that ground too. Logos can follow if they’re central to your identity and are particularly important for consumer-facing products.

No — only where you plan to operate, sell, produce, or face risk. A focused strategy saves costs.

Classes categorize goods and services. For instance, downloadable software falls within class 9 and SaaS services in class 42. Choose the classes covering your core business now and foreseeable expansions.

Use a combination of EU, national, and international filings. Abrande helps scaleups and enterprises build efficient global filing strategies.

Strong trademarks increase company valuation. Investors and acquirers view a protected brand as a safer, more valuable asset.

A trademark portfolio is the collection of all your registered marks. Effective management means monitoring, proactive enforcement, and strategic expansion.

Defensive filings protect against competitors in adjacent markets, while strategic filings cover your core operations and growth areas. Please note that you should only file for trademarks in jurisdictions where you intend to use the trademark, as it otherwise risks getting invalid.

Include both upfront filing costs and ongoing monitoring to enable a proactive enforcement strategy. Abrande offers fixed pricing for full predictability.

File trademarks in markets you either sell and produce in, or intend to do so within a few years’ time. Timing and jurisdiction matter.

It’s when someone uses a mark that’s identical or confusingly similar to yours in markets where you have registered trademarks.

With your trademark rights, Abrande can issue takedown notices to platforms and marketplaces. We can even take down entire domains in jurisdictions where you have protection, via UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy).

Document the use, contact Abrande, and we’ll assess the best enforcement action — from warning letters to formal disputes. Through our audited expert network, we enforce trademark rights worldwide.

Oppositions block pending trademark applications, cancellations remove existing trademark registrations, and disputes enforce against unauthorized use of a trademark.

Yes. Trademarks are powerful, and most often necessary, tools for takedowns against counterfeits.

We use legal processes like UDRP to reclaim domains registered in bad faith.

With trademark registrations in place, Abrande can submit takedown requests through marketplace brand protection programs.

We file an opposition or cancellation on your behalf, supported by evidence.

They’re often the first enforcement step, signaling seriousness and resolving many disputes without litigation.

Yes, most cases are resolved through administrative actions or negotiated settlements.