Registering a trademark means obtaining from a public office, the UIBM for Italy or the EUIPO for the European Union, the exclusive right to use a sign, a name or a logo, for specific classes of goods and services, for ten renewable years. Only the holder of the certificate may use the ® symbol. This article was written in 2021 to announce the registration of the WWG trademark; in 2026 we rewrote it as a practical guide for founders and software companies: the steps, the costs, the timeline, the classes to choose and the mistakes to avoid, with WWG's own case as the example.
TL;DR
- A registered trademark gives the exclusive right to use the sign in the chosen classes and to oppose anyone using a similar one; an unregistered mark that is merely used is far harder to defend.
- There are five steps: prior search, choice of Nice classes, filing, examination and publication with an opposition period, registration.
- For a software company the typical classes are 9 (software), 42 (development services and SaaS) and often 35 (business and consulting services).
- An EU trade mark is filed at the EUIPO with a basic fee for one class; an Italian mark at the UIBM costs less but covers Italy only. Fees should be checked on the official sites at the time of filing.
- After registration comes the duty to use: a mark unused for five years can be revoked.
- WWG has been a registered trademark since 2021; the story of the logo and colours is in the second part.
Why register a trademark?
You register a trademark to turn a name and a logo into an exclusive right: the law allows the ® symbol only to those who have obtained the certificate of registration after examination by the competent office. Without registration you can only rely on an unregistered mark, with protection limited to the territory where you can prove reputation and with the burden of proof on you.
For WWG the 2021 decision had two reasons. The first was to avoid the risk of brand manipulation: a competitor who registers a similar sign before you can force you to change your name. The second was to tell clients, partners and suppliers that the company has invested in its brand and protects it as an exclusive right. For a company that develops its own products, such as WWG's product catalogue, the trademark is also one of the intangible assets that count in the accounts and in the recognition as an innovative SME.
What are the steps to register a trademark?
The steps are five: check that the sign is available with a prior search, choose the classes of goods and services under the Nice classification, file the application with the competent office, pass examination and the opposition period after publication, and obtain registration. A trademark lasts ten years from filing and can be renewed indefinitely.
| Step | What it involves | Typical mistake |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prior search | Search the UIBM, EUIPO and WIPO databases for identical or similar marks in the same classes | Searching only the exact name and not the visual or phonetic variants |
| 2. Choice of classes | Indicate the Nice classes that cover what you sell today and in the coming years | Registering only the software class and forgetting the services |
| 3. Filing | Online application with the representation of the sign, list of goods and services, payment of the fee | A logo representation that does not match how it will be used |
| 4. Examination and opposition | The office checks the requirements; after publication third parties have a period to oppose | Ignoring an opposition letter or an office objection |
| 5. Registration and use | Certificate, use of the ® symbol, watching for similar new filings | Not using the mark: after five years of non-use it can be revoked |
The prior search is the step worth most: discovering a conflict after filing costs the fee and, in the worst case, a rebrand. For its distinctive signs WWG worked with an industrial property adviser; for a startup just starting out, a free search in the public databases is the minimum before printing the first business card.
Which classes should a software company choose?
For a software company the relevant Nice classes are usually three: class 9 for downloadable software and apps, class 42 for software design and development services, software as a service and hosting, and class 35 for business consulting, advertising and commercial management. Companies that also sell training add class 41; those offering financial or payment services add class 36.
Every added class raises the fee, so the choice is a trade-off between coverage and cost. The practical rule is to cover what you sell today and what you will sell in the next three years, because extending a mark to new classes requires a new filing. In class 42 it is worth describing the services precisely, for example "custom software development" and "software as a service", instead of copying the whole class heading.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
The cost depends on the office and the number of classes: the EU trade mark, valid in the 27 member states, is filed at the EUIPO with a basic fee that at the time of writing is EUR 850 for one class filed online, EUR 50 for the second and EUR 150 for each further class; the Italian mark at the UIBM has lower filing fees but covers Italy only. Fees should be checked on the official sites at the time of filing. (euipo.europa.eu)
| Item | Italian mark (UIBM) | EU trade mark (EUIPO) |
|---|---|---|
| Territory | Italy | 27 member states with a single filing |
| Filing fees | Lower, with an amount for the first class and a supplement for each further class | EUR 850 for one class, 50 for the second, 150 for each further class (online filing, at the time of writing) |
| Indicative timeline | From a few months to over a year, depending on examination and oppositions | About four to six months without oppositions, longer if objections are raised |
| Opposition | Three months from publication | Three months from publication |
| Duration | Ten years, renewable | Ten years, renewable |
If you use an industrial property adviser, their fee for the search, the filing and the handling of any objections is added. For a software company selling in several European countries the EU trade mark is almost always the most efficient choice; for one operating only in Italy the national mark is sufficient and can be extended later.
The story of the WWG trademark
Applying a ® everywhere, on the website, in information and promotional materials, means telling the story of your brand again: why we chose a name and which values it refers to. After twenty years in IT, the principle that less is more became the foundation of WWG's new communication, and the trademark registered in 2021 is its result. WWG is a registered trademark, used by the company in its official communications.
The colours are purple and red. Purple, which in the spectrum sits between the crimson of wealth and status and mauve, the chemical dye that in the nineteenth century set out to make it democratic, is a colour that unites after dividing, with a special status in many cultures, from Catholic liturgy to the Japanese murasaki. Red has been used by humans for millennia, from Egyptian shrouds dyed with haematite to the uniforms of Roman generals: it evokes power and responsibility, and the boldness of a Ferrari.
The flat letters and sharp lines of the logo indicate a direct path, quick and without shortcuts, a trajectory that proceeds towards the last letter embracing the unknown with curiosity. Turned over, the logo becomes the number 33, a master number in numerology that demands responsibility from whoever carries it. The values we worked on are summed up in one phrase: be small, be quick, think big. Staying small even while growing, living every day with the enthusiasm of the beginning, treating startup as a mindset before a type of company. "We have always done it this way" is a phrase we do not like; comparison makes you grow, and growth is the dynamism our creative team tried to put into the sign.
Do you have a software product to protect and launch? Talk to a WWG engineer at business@wwg.it.
Sources
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It means that a public office, the UIBM in Italy or the EUIPO for the European Union, has examined and registered the sign, granting the owner the exclusive right to use it for the listed classes of goods and services, for ten renewable years. Only after registration may the ® symbol legitimately be used next to the mark.
The EU trade mark costs, at the time of writing, a basic fee of EUR 850 for one class filed online, plus EUR 50 for the second class and EUR 150 for each further one; the Italian mark has lower filing fees but covers Italy only. Any adviser's fee is added to these amounts. Fees should be checked on the official sites.
For the EU trade mark, roughly four to six months if the office raises no objections and nobody files an opposition, which can be done in the three months after publication. For the Italian mark the timeline varies from a few months to over a year. Once granted, protection runs from the filing date.
Usually class 9 for downloadable software and apps, class 42 for software development, software as a service and hosting, and class 35 for consulting and business services. Companies selling training add class 41. Cover what you sell today and in the next three years, because adding classes later requires a new filing.
The owner has a duty to use it: if the mark is not put to genuine use for five consecutive years after registration, anyone with an interest can apply to have it revoked for the unused classes. That is why WWG chose to use the mark from day one on all materials and official communications.
