Intellectual property dispute with failed startup moves forward

On Behalf of | Nov 10, 2020 | intellectual property

In California, throughout the United States and around the world, innovation is happening with lightning speed. To compete and advance in the current climate, it is imperative to be forward thinking. That spurs improvements in myriad areas. Still, when some endeavors fail and there is a new technology that was created as part of its attempt to upend an industry, there will likely be ownership disputes. An entertainment startup is in the middle of a legal fight with another company over intellectual property. Those who are confronted with these or similar challenges should pay attention to this case and understand the value of experienced legal representation.

Fall of company sparks legal disagreement over intellectual property

The streaming platform Quibi is shutting down after it failed to take hold in its marketplace. That has been the catalyst of an intellectual property dispute between it and Eko. Eko wants what it says is its intellectual property protected from Quibi’s teardown. The dispute is over technology that allowed videos to be seen vertically rather than horizontally. Eko wants a portion of Quibi’s assets frozen.

Quibi had sued Eko early in 2020 saying that Eko was threatening and harassing them. Eko responded by alleging that Quibi was using technology invented by Eko and that it was stolen after meetings between the companies. As the litigation proceeded, it was upended by the surprising news that Quibi was shutting down. It had launched six months earlier. Eko requested emergency relief via an asset freeze. The technology in question – called Turnstyle – is at the center of the court battle. Eko also wants to make sure Quibi has sufficient resources to pay them if it wins the case.

Having legal representation is key with intellectual property disputes

People who create an innovative new product or come up with a potentially lucrative idea should know how to protect it from theft. When there are discussions with other companies and allegations that intellectual property laws have been violated, it is essential to understand what legal steps can be taken. This can be made more complicated if one of the companies runs into other problems. For help with intellectual property cases, having legal assistance is crucial. A firm with an understanding of these issues may be able to help.