The International Trademark Association Announces the Winners of Its Third Open Innovation Challenge

Atlanta, Georgia—May 19, 2024—The International Trademark Association (INTA) has announced the winners of its largest ever Open Innovation Challenge (OIC) today during its 146th Annual Meeting, the largest global gathering of brand owners and professionals, taking place this this year in Atlanta, Georgia.

The OIC is a platform for start-ups, scale-ups, entrepreneurs, investors, and business consultants to promote IP commercialization and develop solutions that improve the lives of people around the world. This year’s Competition attracted 24 applicants from 12 jurisdictions.

For contestants, it’s a unique opportunity to pitch and promote your business idea, technology innovation, or research application to distinguished judges, including experts in branding, brand valuation, business advisory services, intellectual property law, marketing, Environmental Social and Governance (ESG), and finance with experiences. They also gain invaluable insights from the judging panels and can network with other start-ups, scale-ups, and entrepreneurs.

The winner of the early-stage start-up is Jui Bhansali of Smudg (India) and in the mid-stage start-up is Grant Atkinson of Action Responder (Framework Law) (USA).

“Protecting your brand is a crucial step for any aspiring entrepreneur. To successfully grow your business, you need to be able to confidently use and build a brand identity that is exclusively yours, and you need the ability to stop similar brands and knockoffs from entering the market and causing confusion,” said Mr. Atkinson. “So, owning a trademark is like having a shield and a sword for your brand identity. Our platform exists to give entrepreneur trademark attorneys every advantage in helping their clients secure that goal.”

The winner of the scale-up category is Jedidiah Weller of Startup Wars (USA). Reflecting on the competition, he explained: “Participating in the OIC has highlighted the pivotal role that IP plays in both nurturing and monetizing innovation. This experience has taught me that a well-articulated IP strategy is crucial for attracting investments and partnerships, essential components for any entrepreneur aiming to succeed in today’s competitive markets.”

He continued: “The OIC has been instrumental in demonstrating how IP is the backbone of innovation and entrepreneurship. It has provided me with the insights to transform creative ideas into protected, marketable assets that are the lifeblood of a sustainable business.”

The winners receive an INTA membership, one hour of virtual brand measurement consultation provided by Gevers (USA), one hour of business and brand valuation consulting provided by Epsilon Economics (USA), one hour of legal and business consulting provided by JarryIP (Chile), and one hour of consulting services from TiE Atlanta (USA).

“INTA is committed to supporting innovation and the inclusion of IP in the creative process,” said INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo. “Small and medium sized companies are at the core of the world’s economies, and they are the employers of the greatest number of people around the world.”

“We are proud to do our part in supporting the energy and drive of these innovators and offer them the opportunity to benefit from the support of IP protection. Congratulations to all of our winners,” he added.

About the International Trademark Association

The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and complementary intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation, and committed to building a better society through brands. Members include nearly 6,400 organizations, representing more than 36,000 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 181 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Beijing, Brussels, Santiago, Singapore, and the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, and representatives in Amman, Nairobi, and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.

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