In a striking clash between a homegrown Indian startup and a rising American AI powerhouse, the founder of Anthropic Software has turned to the government for support amid a heated trademark dispute. The Bengaluru-based company, which has been operating under the name since 2017, claims severe business losses due to the US firm’s adoption of the identical brand.
Mohammad Ayyaz Mulla, the entrepreneur behind Anthropic Software, registered his edtech venture with India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs that year. He also enrolled it under the Startup India initiative and Startup Karnataka programs. The company focuses on preparing rural students for competitive exams, bridging the gap to mainstream opportunities. Government funding supported one of their patented products, with a patent granted in 2018 and a major order secured in 2021.
Tensions escalated when a Belagavi commercial court issued a fresh summons to the US Anthropic last week. Principal District and Sessions Judge Manjunath Naik passed the order after the company’s representatives failed to appear despite prior notice. The Indian firm seeks an injunction to prevent the AI giant from using ‘Anthropic’ or similar marks that could confuse customers into believing an affiliation exists.
Mulla recounted receiving a legal notice via their cloud vendor last August, demanding they cease using the name immediately. After asserting their legal registrations and engaging in a month’s dialogue, the US side went silent—only to announce plans for an Indian entry soon after. By January, they appointed Irina Ghosh as Managing Director for India and this week opened an office in Bengaluru, their second in Asia after Tokyo.
The fallout has been devastating for the startup. ‘Our website traffic is diverting to them,’ Mulla lamented. ‘Searches for Anthropic lead users straight to their site.’ With over 500 educational institutions as clients and popular apps serving students and parents, the confusion threatens their livelihood.
As the next hearing looms on March 9, Mulla urges government intervention to safeguard startups. ‘If India wants to foster its ecosystem, it must protect founders’ rights,’ he said, expressing faith in both judiciary and authorities. This case spotlights the challenges small innovators face against global players in India’s booming tech landscape.