Omni Bridgeway backs iyO in IP fight against OpenAI, Altman and Jony Ive

Omni Bridgeway is funding iyO Inc.’s federal intellectual property suit against OpenAI, Sam Altman, Jony Ive, io Products Inc. and former io co-founder Tang Yew Tan, giving the Redwood City startup fresh resources in a dispute over the “IYO” trademark and alleged trade secret misappropriation tied to AI-powered hardware.

iyO disclosed the funding in an amended initial disclosure filed under Northern District of California Civil Local Rule 3-15. The funding announcement is significant for the litigation finance market because it places one of the world’s best-known commercial funders behind a high-profile startup claim against some of the deepest-pocketed defendants in technology. iyO said Omni Bridgeway’s backing will allow it to pursue the case “on equal footing” against OpenAI and the other defendants.

iyO, founded in 2021 as a spinout from Google X, describes itself as an audio-computing company developing screenless, voice-driven hardware and software, including the IYO ONE, an ear-worn audio computer controlled by natural language. The company sued in June 2025 to enforce its federally registered “IYO” mark after OpenAI and Ive’s hardware venture began using “io” branding.

The case has already produced early wins for iyO. The district court issued a temporary restraining order in June 2025, prompting OpenAI to remove references to the “io” brand, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed that order in December 2025. The appellate court held that the order was reviewable because it had the qualities of a preliminary injunction, including an adversarial hearing and a duration extending beyond the ordinary 14-day limit for temporary restraining orders.

In April 2026, U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson granted iyO a preliminary injunction, finding that iyO is likely to succeed on the merits of its trademark claim and confirming that IYO faces irreparable harm from OpenAI's infringement of its established trademark.

The case has also expanded beyond trademark claims. In March 2026, iyO added trade secret misappropriation claims under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act, escalating the dispute from a branding fight into a broader claim over alleged misuse of confidential technology and business information.

The funding disclosure also highlights the growing practical importance of local funding transparency rules. The Northern District of California rule does not automatically expose funder economics, but it does bring the presence of financing into the open at the outset of a case, making funding part of the procedural record in high-stakes commercial litigation.

iyO is represented by Andrew Skale of Mintz.