The US-based coworking office pioneer WeWork has filed a complaint in New York against the Chinese company UrWork for trademark infringement.

(File photo)

(File photo)

According to the statement, WeWork’s WEWORK trademark is now under attack by UrWork after announcing that it will launch its own coworking space in New York City under the confusingly similar name URWORK, which will deceive potential customers into believing that UrWork’s services come from, are affiliated with, or are sponsored by WeWork.

"WeWork submitted a letter to Judge Pauley regarding our intention to file a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop UrWork from using its confusingly similar name in the U.S. WeWork simply cannot risk the harm to our brand while this lawsuit proceeds. WeWork has invested substantial time and money building a superior brand, while UrWork currently has no physical presence and no brand equity here," a WeWork spokesperson told People's Daily Online.

UrWork has announced its intention to enter the US market in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The first location would be in New York – where WeWork is headquartered, and the first planned location of UrWork would be several blocks away from a WeWork location.

“WeWork therefore brings this action for trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition to stop Defendants from launching a directly competing coworking space in the United States under the URWORK name and to stop Defendants from usurping the goodwill that WeWork has worked so hard to build,” the company statement added.

In response, the Chinese company said in a statement on Thursday that URWORK does not constitute a trademark infringement on WEWORK, calling the WeWork complaint groundless.

Mao Daqing, founder of UrWork, pointed out in a previous interview that hundreds of start-ups use the word “work” as a suffix, and the name UrWork is not intended to compete with local companies in overseas markets. He said the company wants to help Chinese companies go global and international companies more easily enter China, Financial Times reported.

The US-headquartered company is currently valued at $20 billion, while the one from Beijing reportedly has a valuation of more than $7 billion. Last July, WeWork officially entered the Chinese market by opening locations in Beijing and Shanghai. Both companies are also competing in London and other international markets.