Additional Coverage:
- A small robotics company says Elon Musk’s ‘Robovan’ and ‘Starship’ are great names — except it got trademarks for them first (newsbreak.com)
Starship Technologies Trademarks “Starship” and “Robovan”
Robotics company Starship Technologies has secured trademarks for both “Starship” and “Robovan,” the same names later adopted by SpaceX and Tesla, respectively.
Starship Technologies filed for the trademarks in 2015 and 2017, securing them in 2019. SpaceX and Tesla filed for their trademarks later, with SpaceX’s “Starship” trademark still pending approval.
Tesla’s Robovan and Starship’s Origins
Starship Technologies specializes in autonomous delivery robots. Its “Robovan” is a vehicle designed to store and deploy these robots. Tesla’s “Robovan” is a self-driving cargo van.
Trademark Challenges for Elon Musk’s X
While Starship Technologies’ trademarks remain secure, Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, has faced trademark lawsuits over its name. Legal entities with similar names are alleging confusion and infringement.
Other Companies Using “Starship”
Starship Technologies, SpaceX, and Tesla are not the only companies that have trademarked the term “Starship.” A brewery and a cruise tour operator have also filed trademarks for the name.