Why Timely Trade Mark Registration Is A Business Imperative

Startups often overlook trade mark registration at the outset, focusing solely on product development in the conviction that a great solution is the cornerstone of a lucrative business. And while that conviction is not misplaced, it overlooks a critical truth: successful products do not simply pitch themselves to the market. There is always a set of factors that determine whether a product is noticed, recognised, and ultimately chosen by consumers, and chief among them is the brand.

In Rwanda, as in many jurisdictions, businesses frequently neglect to register their trade marks at the point of market entry, exposing years of brand-building to appropriation by third parties. Two recent cases, namely the Huye and KGL cases, illustrate the consequences of this failure with particular clarity.