Groma, LLC v. BuildRE, LLC et al (D. Mass. 22-cv-11708).

Boston business Groma accuses BuildRE, Groma GPS Software and Machinery Automation System, and Groma GPS YAzilim Ve Makine Otomasyon Sistemleri Anonim Sirketi (a Turkish company) of trademark and service mark infringement, trade name infringement, false designation of origin, state trademark dilution and unfair competition.  Groma is a real estate and technology business that develops and manages real estate and sells software and blockchain and cryptocurrency technology.  It has been doing business using “Groma,” alone and in combination, since 2019, and asserts that it has acquired valuable rights to the Groma trade name through such use.  Groma has a U.S. trademark registration to the GROMA mark in connection with real estate, and has received a notice of allowance for the GROMA mark in connection with its software and technology business.  It has similar registrations in Turkey.

Groma asserts that the defendants were formed after Groma itself was in operation, and operate in concert with each other, using GROMA and GROMA GPS as marks, to sell software and technology services, in violation of Groma’s trademark and service mark rights.  The defendants also utilize the GROMA mark in a variety of domain names.  Groma asserts that the defendants know about Groma’s rights to the marks because Groma opposed defendants’ attempts to register GROMA and GROMA GPS in Turkey, making the infringement willful.