Amazon launches IP accelerator in Canada

SAN FRANCISCO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Amazon on Monday launched the Intellectual Property Accelerator (IP Accelerator) in Canada for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to obtain trademarks, protect their brands and tackle infringing goods both in Amazon's stores and the broader marketplace.

Available to any brand selling in Amazon's stores, IP Accelerator directly connects Canadian SMB owners with a curated network of local law firms charging reduced, pre-negotiated rates on key services, giving SMBs access to expert legal and general IP advice, an announcement said.

"More than 30,000 Canada-based third-party sellers have grown their business with Amazon, reaching millions of customers while grossing more than 2 billion U.S. dollars on Amazon's stores around the world. IP Accelerator allows our SMB selling partners to build on that success by protecting their valuable IP and setting them up for long-term growth," said Mary Beth Westmoreland, vice president of brand protection at Amazon.

IP Accelerator was launched in the United States in 2019 and has since expanded to Europe, Japan, India, and now Canada. Since the launch, more than 6,000 trademark applications from participating brands have been submitted to trademark offices, according to Amazon.