Strava Sues Garmin Over Patent Infringement Claims

Denver, Colorado — Strava, a leading fitness tracking platform, has filed a lawsuit against Garmin, alleging the company has infringed upon its patents regarding segments and heatmaps. Strava requests that Garmin cease selling virtually all of its fitness devices, including watches and cycling computers, as well as remove certain features from its Garmin Connect platform.

The lawsuit, filed on September 30, 2025, claims that Garmin violated a Master Cooperation Agreement (MCA) signed in 2015, which was intended to facilitate collaboration on segment features. Strava argues that Garmin has developed its own segment functions, thus breaching the agreement.

At the heart of the lawsuit are two patents: one related to generating heatmaps from user data and the other associated with segments—defined time periods during which athletes compete against one another. Strava asserts that it has sustained damages, including lost revenue and harm to its brand reputation, due to Garmin’s alleged infringement.

Strava’s complaints highlight the ongoing tensions between the two companies, as Garmin has reportedly begun enforcing new branding guidelines that require its logo to appear on all activity displays for third-party developers, including Strava. The deadline for compliance was set for November 1, 2025.

“These guidelines actively degrade user experience on Strava,” said Matt Salazar, Strava’s Chief Product Officer. “We see this as blatant advertising, stripping users of the ability to freely share their data without intrusive branding requirements.”

Despite the lawsuit, both companies affirm that they do not intend to disrupt the ability of users to synchronize their data. Strava spokespersons emphasized that their actions are aimed at protecting the integrity of their patents and user data rights.

The context for Strava’s legal action appears to stem from a series of conflicts over recent years, including disputes over data attribution practices and competition in subscription services. In light of Garmin’s recent product developments, Strava is positioning itself to defend its market share and proprietary features.

The legal proceedings could have significant implications for both companies, especially as they navigate the competitive landscape of the fitness tech sector together.