6IX – Muzz, a popular dating app for Muslims with 6M users, is taking a stand and supporting the rights of Muslim women who want to cover their bodies while also enjoying a day at the beach. France doesn't allow women to wear a burkini in public pools for religious reasons. They say it violates government neutrality toward religion. Muzz will give money back to anyone who receives a burkini fine in France (up to a total of €25K) this summer.
Category: Muzz
Muzz Celebrated Its New Brand in London and New York
OPW – Muzz (formerly Muzmatch) celebrates the launch of its new name in London and New York. The Muslim dating app lost the right to use its name following the legal battle with MatchGroup and was renamed Muzz.
Muzmatch (now Muzz) Loses Bid to Appeal UK Trademark Row
LAW360 – A London judge has declined to grant Muzmatch, a British dating app for Muslims, permission to appeal his ruling that Muzmatch had infringed the trademarks of the Match Group.
Muzmatch Is Now Muzz
OPW – Muzmatch has lost the legal battle with Match Group over the use of the word "match" in its name. Muzmatch is now Muzz, and the app has also added two new features – profile videos and voice intros.
Match Wins Trademark Case Against Muzmatch
NEW YORK TIMES – A London court ruled that Muzmatch infringed on Match trademarks, on Wednesday. Match Group ($3b revenue, 16m paying users) sued Muzmatch for infringing on its trademarked logo, using "match" in its name, and "unfairly benefiting" from the company’s reputation and investment in its brand. The ruling, from London's Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, could mean Muzmatch (6m users, $9m financing) must change its name and pay damages. Founder/CEO, Shahzad Younas, said Muzmatch would appeal. Match objected to the trademark registration for "Muzmatch" in Europe and the United States in 2016. Match also objected to the use of a heart and the font in Muzmatch's logo at the time, which were eventually removed. Match made approaches to buy the company, eventually offering up to $35m in 2019. Mr. Younas turned the offer down. Later that year, Match acquired Harmonica, a Muslim dating start-up in Egypt. "This is just their tactic," he said. "They'll court you, they'll get your data, they'll try and buy you, and when that doesn't work, they'll either go after a competitor or they'll just kill you," Mr. Younas said. "A million dollars for them in legal fees is small change. For us, it's everything."
by Aina J Khan
See full article at New York Times
Mark Brooks: I sympathize with Shahzad and Muzmatch. However, Match has to defend its name and trademark, along with its IP. It's simply not an option for them to not. Therefore, if you have a niche+match or match+niche type name, and anything in the way of scale and an official trademark application, then Match may well come simultaneously knocking, with guns cocked. This of course impairs your M&A valuation. Best to steer well clear of Match in your name in the context of Internet dating. The precedent is set. Match will sound and then fire its cannons at you if you encroach on their apparent domain. This may be unfair, but at least it is predictable.
Muzmatch Loses Legal Fight Against Match Group
MUZMATCH – Muzmatch, the biggest Muslim dating and marriage app, has lost a long court battle with Match Group over its name the company has been using since 2011. Match Group first reached out to Muzmatch in 2016, objecting to its trademark registration for MUZMATCH. They proposed a settlement agreement if Muzmatch promised not to sell the company to a competitor. Muzmatch refused. In 2017, they reached out again with an offer to acquire muzmatch. The two companies talked multiple times and four offers were made (max $35M) which didn’t value Muzmatch fairly, according to founder and CEO, Shahzad Younas. Match Group group has then resorted to the last tool of giant conglomerates with huge legal teams – litigation. This month (April 2022), the judge ruled in Match Group’s favour, stating in his view the word ‘match’ is distinctive of match.com since 2011 (the year muzmatch was born).
Judgement Due After Trial Between Muzmatch and Match Group
MatchGroup Accuses Muzmatch of Free-Riding
BUSINESS INSIDER – MatchGroup is suing Muslim-oriented dating startup Muzmatch in the UK. Match accused Muzmatch of "free-riding" off its reputation, alleging the app copied the look and feel of its logo and apps and used the word "Match" and "Tinder" in its SEO and meta tags to boost traffic. It claims users could confuse Muzmatch for its own services. Match Group has previously sued Bumble and threesome app 3nder, now called Feeld. Muzmatch's founder Shahzad Younas claimed Match's legal action came after he turned down four acquisition offers from Match in 2018 and 2019. When acquisition talks failed, Match purchased a different Muslim dating app, and sued his firm, the filings stated. The two-day UK trial took place on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18, and the judge expects a decision will be made in six weeks.
Match Group Files Multiple Lawsuits Against Muzmatch Following Failed Acquisition Offers
MUZMATCH – Match Group is suing Muzmatch in the UK with the trial set for 17th/18th Jan. "We fight, because we must. It is crucial that products built for our community are built by our community, and that we do not allow ourselves to be dictated and controlled by others", says Shahzad Younas, founder and CEO of Muzmatch, the London-based dating app for Muslims which has recently hit 5M members globally. Shahzad Younas founded Muzmatch in 2011. He quit his career as investment banker to focus entirely on his startup and learning how to build a mobile app. Muzmatch app was launched in 2015 with hundreds of new members joining globally. In 2016 Shahzad registered trademarks for MUZMATCH in the US and Europe. Match Group immediately filed an objection, saying it was passing off their match.com heart design TM. Match Group lawyers sent letters claiming they would not allow another dating company to have "match" in their name. Muzmatch revamped the brand – removed the heart logo and changed the font used in the muzmatch logo. Match Group continued to file objections to the EU Trademark. In 2017, Muzmatch was accepted to Y Combinator Summer 17 batch, raising a $1.75M seed round. In 2018 Match Group made their first offer to acquire Muzmatch for $15M. As Muzmatch continued to grow, Match Group attempted to acquire the app multiple times offering $25M in Nov '18 and $35M in Jan '19. In 2019 Match Group acquired muslim app Harmonica and sued Muzmatch in the UK IPEC courts alleging trademark infringement. Match Group also filed a lawsuit against Muzmatch in Texas this year alleging patent infringement (use of swipe gesture) and cyberpiracy (use of Muzmatch brand). Muzmatch decided to settle the case and removed the swipe feature.
Match Group Has Filed a Lawsuit Against Muzmatch
NOKIA MOBILE PHONE NEWS – After accusing Muzmatch, a UK-based Muslim matchmaking app, of copying their product and services, Match Group has launched a legal battle with it. The Match Group has accused Muzmatch of trademark infringement, claiming that its mission is to "spark meaningful connections for every single person worldwide." According to The Times, Match Group first wrote to Muzmatch in 2016 alleging trademark infringement before attempting to acquire it a year later. It made four offers to buy Muzmatch, including one for $35M, but Muzmatch turned them down. In 2019, Match purchased Harmonica, an Egyptian-based Muslim dating app, and renamed it Hawaya. According to Match Group, Muzmatch used the word 'match' in its metadata, and also used keyword tags such as 'match-muslim' and 'uk-muslim-match,' which the company claims are an attempt to 'ride on the coattails' of its trademarks. Muzmatch has denied the allegations, claiming that Match does not have a monopoly on the term "match" in the dating industry. On January 17, a hearing is scheduled at the UK Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court in London.
by Maria Daisy
See full article at Nokia Mobile Phone News