Uber hit with trademark lawsuit over new travel services

A screen displays the logo of Uber Technologies Inc at the New York Stock Exchange in New York,REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

(Reuters) – A California-based company sued Uber Technologies Inc in federal court in San Francisco on Thursday, accusing the ride-hailing giant of infringing its trademark rights with a new “Uber Travel” branded app and services that allegedly compete unfairly its real estate business.

UberRE Inc court case said it bought an “Über” brand for real estate services in 2017 and used the name on software to book travel accommodation. He sought damages of more than $250 billion, more than five times the current market capitalization of Uber Technologies.

Uber Technologies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

UberRE advertises vacation rentals through an “UberBnB” app, as well as through a website that prominently describes its brand ownership and compares its business history with Uber Technologies. UberRE Inc Chairman Brent Ritz told Reuters that Uber Technologies broke an agreement with the company which he declined to detail.

UberTechnologies announcement last month that it would start providing long-distance rail travel booking services in the UK from this summer, and would add flight booking later this year and hotel booking in the future .

The company applied for a US trademark for ‘Uber Travel’ covering travel booking in January, although its UK press release did not use that name or mention plans to provide similar services in the USA.

UberRE said in the lawsuit that Uber Technologies infringed its trademark and would confuse consumers by offering competing services.

Uber Technologies has already been sued by New York advertising agency Uber Inc over its planned expansion into the advertising business. The companies resolved that dispute in November.

The case is UberRE Inc v. Uber Technologies Inc, US District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:22-cv-02806.

For UberRE: Thomas Stanton of Stanton IP law firm

For Uber Technologies: not applicable

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