bbhugme is a Norwegian company founded in November 2023. The founders are three female chiropractors who experienced that there were no good products to create good sleep for pregnant women. Thus they developed the adjustable bbhugme pillow.
They offer a pregnancy pillow and a nursing pillow. The concept is the same, but they come in two different sizes. The products are available in different colors and patterns.
Rights important from the establishment
In connection with establishing the business and developing the concept, several of those involved in the board and development team had experience with IP from previous work. The company currently has various rights in its largest markets, such as the USA, Canada and China. - These rights are important to give the business protection against potential copycat products, says Kristin Stormanger, CEO of bbhugme. - It also shows that we think long-term and systematically about how to establish an international brand. For owners and investors, our IP is also of great importance. It is an important part of the value of the business. We also see how important it is to potential investors. This will always be a topic in our dialogue with investors, she says.
- We have also had good experience with design registration in addition to trademark registration. In some markets, we have implemented 3D trademark registration for the cushion (end pieces).
She goes on to say that the protection of their intellectual property rights (IP) has been crucial in building a solid platform for future growth. The company's ability to develop an innovative and unique concept has been a key to differentiating itself in the market.
– IP has made it possible for us to secure our technology, protect our ideas from copying and at the same time create an attractive value for potential investors. In short, IP has been an important success factor in ensuring that we achieve our long-term goals.
Kristin Stormanger
The IP strategy is updated regularly
- We have an IP strategy, says Stormanger. - It is important to define how we work with IP, and not least in relation to how we act if we see other players who are close to our concept and our brand. We carry out regular audits and use the document as an important management tool.
Competitors close up
The company has experienced certain situations related to other players. - Everything from concepts that are inspired by us, but not direct copies. We have also registered concrete copies where professional copy companies are probably behind them. We follow this ourselves, via our dealers and other partners, says Stormanger.
Received assistance for the IP work
The team that was involved from the start-up period primarily worked with rights through external partners. - This has become an extensive area for us, and we have chosen to work with a professional external partner, Brækhus, and their IP team, says Stormanger.
IP important for external contributors
In our work with external contributors such as Innovation Norway, bank connections and potential investors, IP has always been an important topic. A strong focus on IP has contributed to our partners seeing us as a professional actor with a long-term focus on building a strong international brand.
Good advice for other businesses
- It is important to think about IP in parallel with product development. Feel free to involve experienced people in the process. If you are going to apply for a patent, it must be done before the product is launched, it is important to do good preparatory work.
