OpenAI's dive into the social app market hit an unexpected snag when Cameo, known for its celebrity video messages, claimed trademark rights on the word "cameo." Charged with trademark infringement, the tech giant found itself entangled in a legal battle, one that revealed more than just the risks of brand naming. As an entrepreneur and founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup incubator for women, I often emphasize how small missteps, like this naming fiasco, can ripple into much larger consequences. Let’s look at the lessons this incident holds for anyone building a business, especially as a female founder in Europe.
Where OpenAI Went Wrong
When OpenAI named a key feature “Cameo” within its social app Sora, it stepped into risky territory. Cameo, the celebrity video platform, had trademarked the term across multiple categories, including digital entertainment and software services. OpenAI argued that the word "cameo" was generic. Cameo disagreed, filing a lawsuit pointing out their trademark ownership and alleging bad faith use of the term. This resulted in a temporary restraining order blocking OpenAI from using "cameo" or similar phrases until December 22, 2025.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Trademark disputes are incredibly common, yet many startups fail to prioritize checking the legal grounds of branding decisions. Here are some insights to avoid falling into similar traps:
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Do Thorough Trademark Research
Before settling on a product name or feature title, research existing trademarks. Visit platforms such as EUIPO’s database for Europe or the USPTO trademark directory for the United States. Trademarking common words is surprisingly frequent in industries where competition is high. -
Consult Legal Experts
It might feel costly in the beginning, but discussing potential names with intellectual property lawyers can prevent major headaches later. If OpenAI had onboarded such expertise early, they might have avoided this costly lawsuit. -
Choose Unique Terms
Creating a unique, brand-specific term can protect your business and make your marketing efforts stand out. For example, in Fe/male Switch, we introduced terms like "gamepreneurship" that were publicly non-existent before our initiative. -
Protecting Digital Features
If your startup builds digital tools or apps, aligning the name with intellectual property law ensures long-term scalability and partnerships. This is particularly critical when operating across different regions in Europe, where laws may differ more than expected.
Most Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many entrepreneurs in Europe, especially women bootstrapping their startups, overlook these critical areas.
- Skipping Legal Checks: It’s tempting to focus all resources on product development but ignoring trademarks and naming rights can derail even the most successful launch.
- Assuming Generic Words Are Safe: Just because something sounds common (like "cameo") doesn’t mean it’s free to use.
- Failing to Prioritize Resource Allocation: Startups that skip legal due diligence often pay the price later with large settlements and lawsuits.
- Poor Documentation: If questioned, you need clear evidence that your brand names are original and chosen with diligent research.
How This Relates to Female Founders in Europe
As women in business often self-fund and bootstrap ventures, every resource spent must deliver maximum ROI. Legal troubles like OpenAI’s battle with Cameo can result in wasted resources and a distracted team. To avoid such pitfalls:
- Educate Yourself: Many online courses focus on intellectual property for entrepreneurs. Platforms like WIPO Academy offer free resources specific to trademark basics.
- Build Local Networks: Legal networks across Europe can provide affordable consultations. Groups like startup accelerators often have a legal mentor network, use them.
- Leverage Online Incubators: My Fe/male Switch platform actively teaches founders the value of due diligence in naming and branding strategies. Tools like our gamepreneurship model can prevent common launch mistakes.
The Bigger Picture
Trademark disputes aren't just setbacks; they expose flaws in corporate processes, branding strategy, and risk management. OpenAI, despite its cutting-edge tech, fell into this avoidable pitfall. For entrepreneurs, the message is clear: taking shortcuts in the early stages of building a business can lead to far-reaching consequences.
Conclusion
Cameo vs. OpenAI isn’t just a tech story, it’s a learning opportunity for founders. Let this case remind us not to rush the naming process or underestimate the importance of legal checks. Whether you're planning to trademark a term or researching one, diligence and long-term thinking are your most valuable strategies.
FAQ
1. What caused the legal dispute between OpenAI and Cameo?
The dispute arose when OpenAI used the term "Cameo" for a feature in its Sora app, which conflicted with the trademark owned by Cameo, the celebrity video messaging platform. Cameo claimed trademark infringement, leading to legal actions. Read more about the lawsuit at TechCrunch
2. What exactly does Cameo allege against OpenAI?
Cameo alleges that OpenAI used the trademarked term "Cameo" with full knowledge of its existing registrations and accuses it of acting in bad faith, aiming to trade on Cameo’s reputation. Learn more about Cameo’s claims at VitalLaw
3. What key legal action has been taken so far?
On November 21, 2025, Judge Eumi K. Lee issued a temporary restraining order preventing OpenAI from using the term “Cameo” and similar-sounding words, effective until December 22, 2025. Check out CNBC’s report
4. Why does Cameo claim trademark rights over the word "cameo"?
Cameo holds trademark registrations for the term across various digital entertainment and software categories, arguing that OpenAI's use causes brand confusion. Learn about their trademark rights on VitalLaw
5. What other controversies has the Sora app faced?
Before the trademark dispute, OpenAI’s Sora app faced criticism for its "Cameo" feature, which allowed users to create deepfake videos, sparking concerns over misuse, including objections from Martin Luther King Jr.'s estate. Learn about Sora’s controversies on TechCrunch
6. How did OpenAI respond to the allegations?
OpenAI publicly disagreed with the claim that Cameo has exclusive ownership of the term "cameo," arguing that it is a generic word and not possible to own outright. Discover OpenAI’s stance on Business Insider
7. How does this case impact entrepreneurs?
The Cameo vs. OpenAI case highlights the importance of conducting thorough trademark checks, especially for startups trying to bootstrap in competitive industries. Entrepreneurs can learn more from cases like these to avoid similar issues.
8. What lessons can startups take from the Cameo vs. OpenAI case?
Startups should focus on rigorous trademark searches, consultation with intellectual property lawyers, and creating unique brand names for products to avoid legal complications. Learn more branding tips from Fe/male Switch
9. How can one check for trademark conflicts?
Entrepreneurs can use official databases such as the EUIPO’s database for Europe or the USPTO trademark directory in the United States to avoid potential conflicts.
10. What happens next in the Cameo vs. OpenAI lawsuit?
A court hearing is scheduled for December 19, 2025, to address the matter further. The temporary restraining order is set to expire on December 22, 2025, unless extended or resolved. Follow updates on TechCrunch
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
