The high-flying edtech startup’s origins involve three co-founders who left in the early years, arguments over share payouts and a legal spat on who can claim “co-founder” as a title.
In 2020, Vatsal Rustagi, Bikash Dash and Nikhil Goel each received a legal notice.
They were told to immediately cease and desist from “misrepresenting” themselves as “co-founders” of Classplus on LinkedIn and elsewhere.
The brand and trademark “Classplus” belonged to Bunch Microtechnologies Pvt. Ltd, the notices said, and since the three men had nothing to do with Bunch, calling themselves co-founders of Classplus was “having the effect of tarnishing the reputation of Bunch and diluting the prestige and reputation of the trademark and brand Classplus”.
But the notices weren’t sent by Bunch Microtechnologies. In fact, the company wasn’t even involved …
Harveen is a co-founder at The Morning Context, and leads our Internet coverage. She has previously worked as a media, consumer and tech reporter at The Ken and Mint. At The Morning Context, she writes on startups, venture capital, consumer and media businesses across India and the Middle East—from e-commerce to healthtech to streaming.
Editor, Internet
harveen@mailtmc.com
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