HUB Raleigh is looking for a new name.
The co-working space has launched a June rebranding campaign that includes a logo design and naming contest. HUB Raleigh Community Manager Liz Tracy said that the rebranding effort was prompted by a trademark lawsuit faced by HUB North America over the name “HUB.”
HUB North America is part of an international organization that supports entrepreneurs working to make socially conscious impacts. Tracy said she was not in a position to discuss the HUB North America litigation but she said that the name must be trademarked in each location. While the HUB name is trademarked internationally, the right to that name is being challenged in North America.
In North America, HUB has eight HUB programs in places such as Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Tracy said that the Raleigh program will maintain its ties to the North American group.
“HUB North America is going through their own lawsuit to protect the name,” she said. “Until they get that figured out, we need to pull back and be an affiliate member.”
HUB Raleigh launched last fall to much fanfare when it opened its doors on Hillsborough Street, bringing to Raleigh the kind of startup space more readily available in Durham and Research Triangle Park. The co-working space features 18 desks, two conferences rooms and amenities geared to the entrepreneurial set, such as coffee, beer and a ping pong table.
The logo and naming contest calls for submissions to be sent to staff@hubraleigh.com by 5 p.m. on June 25. In the last week of June, the top three ideas will be put to a community vote. The new name is expected to be revealed July 8. The person who submits the winning idea will get his or her name on an office suite in the co-working space.
Tracy said the name should evoke entrepreneurship and innovation. And the name should not have the term “HUB” in it. Tracy said that HUB Raleigh now has a team of lawyers working with the group to make sure that the rebranding does not violate any trademarks.
“It’s unfortunate, you jump on to a national name and you never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “But we’re excited to be rebranding ourselves in Raleigh and see what comes out of it.”
