To mark World Intellectual Property Day, Amazon has launched an IP Accelerator in Canada and a Vancouver law firm, Palmer IP, is among the 8 firms participating in the project.
The IP Accelerator connects small and medium-sized businesses that sell in Amazon’s store with a network of trusted Canadian Intellectual Property (IP) law firms charging reduced fees on key services related to securing trademark protection.
IP rights are vital for businesses to stop bad actors from copying and infringing on their ideas. However, filing for IP protection can be daunting and time-consuming for SMBs: individual trademark applications to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office can take up to 28 months.
The new IP Accelerator will facilitate the process while also providing SMBs with early access to Amazon’s brand protection tools even before their trademark is officially registered.
“More than 30,000 Canada-based third-party sellers have grown their business with Amazon, reaching millions of customers while grossing more than $2 billion on Amazon’s stores around the world. IP Accelerator allows our SMB selling partners to build on that success by protecting their valuable IP and setting them up for long-term growth. Establishing and protecting IP rights are essential for businesses of every size, and Amazon is pleased to introduce a new tool that provides access to specialized expertise to help protect brands,” said Mary Beth Westmoreland, VP, Brand Protection at Amazon.
Dean Palmer, Managing Partner of Palmer IP, Canada, said: “Our Canadian team in Vancouver, Ottawa, and Toronto welcomes the Amazon IP Accelerator program to Canada. There is now no need to wait years for a trademark registration to access the Amazon Brand Registry enforcement and brand profile tools. Businesses selling in Canada can join the Brand Registry within 14 days through the IPA program, and receive a discounted rate, from vetted firms, to ultimately achieve trademark registrations.”
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