Figma Challenges Lovable Over 'Dev Mode' Trademark

Figma has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Lovable, a Swedish AI startup, over the use of the term 'Dev Mode' for a product feature. Figma, which has trademarked 'Dev Mode', confirmed this action to TechCrunch. The term is commonly used in software development, but Figma's trademark applies specifically to the shortcut 'Dev Mode'.

Lovable's co-founder and CEO, Anton Osika, has stated that the company does not intend to comply with Figma's demand to change the feature's name. Lovable, known for its 'vibe coding' technology, launched its 'dev mode' feature recently to allow users to edit code generated by its AI.

The dispute highlights the competitive tension between the two companies, as Lovable positions itself as a competitor to Figma by offering design solutions without the need for traditional prototyping tools. Figma, valued at $12.5 billion, has not taken similar actions against larger companies like Microsoft, citing different categories of goods and services.