In a remarkable legal triumph, a small Greek company, Verdes Innovations, headquartered in Corinth and known for its line of V-CUBE puzzles, has prevailed in court against the Canadian toy giant Spin Master, the global rights holder of the iconic Rubik’s Cube.
The case, which spanned over a decade, centered not just on intellectual property, but also on the broader issue of monopolistic control over functional designs.
The Rubik’s Cube is undoubtedly one of the world’s most recognizable puzzles. Few, however, would have imagined that a major legal battle over its design would involve a Greek innovator challenging a multinational powerhouse.
The legal saga began in 2013, when Verdes Innovations filed a request with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to invalidate trademarks registered by the predecessor of Spin Master between 2008 and 2012.
The EUIPO ultimately ruled in favor of the Greek company, determining that the cube’s shape could not be protected as a trademark, as its essential features were functional—integral to the puzzle’s mechanism and thus not eligible for trademark protection.
Spin Master appealed to the General Court of the EU, but the court upheld the EUIPO’s ruling, ruling that the Rubik’s Cube’s shape is functional and can’t be trademarked. Spin Master has since indicated its intention to escalate the matter to the European Court of Justice.
The court’s decision is a key moment for innovation and fair competition. For Verdes Innovations, founded by Panagiotis Verdes and now led by his son Konstantinos, it’s both a legal and symbolic victory against monopolistic practices, reinforcing their role as pioneers in advanced puzzle cubes.
Panagiotis Verdes is credited with inventing a patented system that allows for the smooth and secure construction of rotating cubes with virtually unlimited layers. While the traditional 3×3 cube is the most well-known version, Verdes’ system expands that design to puzzles with up to nine layers—and potentially beyond. The patent was first granted in Greece in 2004 and later in Europe in 2007.
Despite its innovations, Verdes Innovations faced ongoing pressure from bigger competitors, including legal threats from Spin Master and Chinese rivals, and attempts to disrupt its partnerships.
