Pitch, SIDN, and CIRA join forces to provide support for the application process for proprietary internet extensions
Comprehensive legal and technical support for new domain name extensions
Applying for a new generic top-level domain (gTLD) is a lengthy, complex and time-consuming process; Pitch and SIDN are joining forces to help. This collaboration will assist new gTLD applicants with the legal process and, once a domain has been approved, to ensure the new internet extension is operational.
New ICANN application round
In April 2026, ICANN applications will open once again for new internet extensions for your own brand, municipality, province, or region. This application process, based on the Applicant Guidebook, requires thorough knowledge of the domain name landscape and all the legal, operational, financial, and technical requirements involved. The application process takes an average of 18 months, but can sometimes take up to 10 years. Pitch, as a specialized legal service provider, and SIDN, as the administrator of .nl, will be working closely to simplify this process.
More than 10 years of collaboration
For over 10 years, Pitch and SIDN have been collaborating to offer brand protection and domain name advice services. Supporting applications for new gTLDs is the natural, strategic result of this long-standing and successful partnership.
Interested in your own gTLD?
Having your own gTLD offers all kinds of advantages. Organizations can create a controlled and secure online environment, increase brand awareness, and strengthen their identity. Are you curious about what SIDN and Pitch can do for you? Please contact Pim Pastoors, product owner at SIDN, at pim.pastoors@sidn.nl, or Bart Lieben, lawyer at Pitch, at bart@pitch.law.
About Pitch.law
Pitch is a law firm specializing in intellectual property, information technology, and telecommunications law, with a strong focus on domain names and new gTLDs. Pitch combines legal excellence with technology-enabled solutions, advising clients on gTLD strategy, applications, registry agreements, dispute resolution, and compliance. Having supported nearly 150 applications in the 2012 ICANN round, the firm continues to lead in legal and strategic guidance in the domain name space.
About SIDN
SIDN is a non-profit organization that has been successfully managing the .nl domain for almost 30 years, one of the most secure and innovative country domains in the world. SIDN also offers registry services to other registries and companies and institutions that want their own internet extension. To this end, SIDN is developing the innovative registration platform Hello Registry in collaboration with CIRA, the Canadian registry.
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