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Venture Capital & Emerging Technology Growth Companies

With a robust global venture capital practice, we offer clients access to a dedicated team of venture capital lawyers.

Our lawyers have completed numerous expansion and venture capital deals. We are close to current market standards and emerging trends in venture transactions. Our deals reflect the broad industry expertise of our lawyers, including extensive experience in AI technologies, e-sports, smart energy technologies, SaaS, fintech, biotech and life sciences sectors, including med-tech and health-tech. 

With global reach and dedicated specialists, we are positioned to support clients in all aspects of their growth journey.

Our specialist lawyers, working across venture capital, private equity, capital markets, intellectual property, employment and incentives, data protection, commercial and regulatory are able to support all stages of growth and support successful decision making at every step. Our knowledge of issues at later stages of funding and exits and complex cross border transactions help to frame the structure that should be built from the start and pre-empt due diligence processes. We have global offices with international reach including London, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Sydney, Dubai and across many European jurisdictions; like technology we work without boundaries.

Growth Journey

The journey from start-up can be bewildering and daunting with many obstacles to be successfully navigated. None more so than when sourcing debt, raising equity capital, steering through the maze of regulatory compliance, and ensuring the protection of key assets. 

The varying expectations of founders and investors, the complexity and volume of documents and the perceived prohibitive costs of securing the best advice, leave many young companies exposed. In the absence of experienced team members or advisors, key assets can be easily and unwittingly put at risk and contractual or legal liability may leave the business vulnerable, which can in turn thwart attempts to raise much needed funding.  

Why Choose Squire Patton Boggs Venture Capital Lawyers? 

Our specialist lawyers, working across venture capital, private equity, capital markets, intellectual property, employment and incentives, data protection, commercial and regulatory are able to support all stages of growth and support successful decision making at every step. Our knowledge of issues at later stages of funding and exits and complex cross border transactions help to frame the structure that should be built from the start and pre-empt due diligence processes.  We have global offices with international reach; like technology we work without boundaries.

We understand the nuances of starting, running, and investing in early-stage companies. We have significant experience in advising on transactions within the technology sector and have a proven track record of advising companies from formation to exit. We will use our understanding of current market standards and emerging trends, gained from advising both companies and investors, to ensure your goals are met.

We have a technology focus across our global footprint and have worked with many emerging growth companies. Our full-service team regularly advises on strategic transactions, employment/service agreements, IP protection, licence agreements, facilities leases, and option schemes, among others. We work across the full spectrum to help our clients reach their business goals.

  • We have a dedicated team that understands the venture capital market – Your partner-led team places an emphasis on teamwork and client service, and will be available to support you around the clock. We understand the nuances of investing in early stage companies. We have significant experience in advising on venture capital and early stage transactions and have a proven track record. We will use our understanding of current market standards and emerging trends, gained from advising both companies seeking investment and venture capital investors, to help the transaction to progress efficiently.
  • Global offering – We have over 40 offices across four continents, including 16 offices in the US with New York, San Francisco and Palo Alto among them. We are, therefore, able to help growing companies to expand into new territories or raise capital in new markets and/or help growing companies and their investors achieve an exit via acquisition or an IPO in the UK, the US or elsewhere.
  • Subject matter experts – We are a full-service international law firm and we have subject matter experts in all relevant areas of law to assist with a fundraise or the growth of the company following a fundraise, including experts in the areas of intellectual property, technology transactions, data regulation, commercial contracts and employment law. 
  • We offer a cost-efficient solution – We strive to be the best value for money by combining an exceptional level of service with a fair, transparent and reasonable cost. 
  • We get the deal done – We are pragmatic, responsive and we will always take into account your goals when providing our legal counsel. By understanding what will ultimately work best for you, we know when to push in negotiations and the sensitivities to contemplate in documents. We are here to provide legal solutions to get the deal done.
  • We will deliver – Our advice is focused on closing transactions efficiently and with minimal hassle. We have a depth of resource to ensure seamless support and can be nimble in providing whatever is needed. 
 

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  • Agri AI – advising a London based VC fund on its investment in an AI agri - business; integrating farm data and offering agricultural solutions
  • Aptamer Group PLC – Advising this biotech company from inception on its initial seed funding rounds and on subsequent investment rounds, including advising on its placing and AIM IPO, raising circa £11 million.
  • Asahi Group Holdings – Advising in relation to its venture capital investment in Sliabh Liag Distillers, an Irish gin and whiskey  producer.
  • Cable Coatings – Advising on first and second funding rounds with investment from NPIF and Kero.
  • Carbon Collect – Advising this venture capital-funded startup on an international crowd-funded financing.
  • Connecterra – Acting for the AI company on the sale of its sensor business to Datamars.
  • Cushon Group – Advising on its £5 million Series A investment led by Augentum Fintech.
  • FaceTheory – Advising on its £8 million Series A investment led by Active Partners.
  • Global Investment Bank – Advising a global investment bank on numerous investments in various technology and fintech companies.
  • GP Bullhound – Advising on various investments in companies in the technology sector for this investor, including on their investments in Whoop! and Lendinvest.
  • Habitat Energy – Advising on two rounds of financing, which preceded its successful exit via sale to Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners.
  • Horizons Ventures – Advising on its Series A investment in Kuato Studios, the learning and games developer.
  • Lumina Health – Advising on its first round funding.
  • Memgraph Ltd – Advising on its £5 million equity fundraising led by M12.
  • Mindtrace – Advising on a series of investment rounds in this AI company, including on its Series A funding round led by Skylake Ventures.
  • Neptune Networks – Advising on its US$15 million funding round from a series of international investment banks.
  • New Your Fund – Acting for a New Your VC and three other funds on the secondary sales of interests in an AI video generator.
  • Perwyn Growth Capital – Advising on its US$30 million Series C funding round in Lookiero, an online personal shopping service based in Spain, valuing the company at US$130 million.
  • Pivigo – Advising this AI service company on an investment by NPIF. 
  • Restitution Impact – Advising on its first round funding, including its HMRC ESI application.
  • Seaya Ventures – Advising Seaya Ventures (as lead investor) on the €8 million seed round investment from Seaya Ventures, Speedinvest and SIX FinTech Ventures in Toqio.
  • Seechange Technologies – Advising this health and safety AI company on its investment by Crane Venture Partners. 
  • Sunswap – Advising on the £3 million investment by Barclays and Clean Growth Fund.
  • Tech AI Company – Advising on its £14.5 million Series A investment by a US fund alongside existing fund investors, including NPIF.
  • Tribosonics Ltd. – Advising this provider of technology designed to measure and monitor a wide range of factors that affect energy loss in the energy, manufacturing and agriculture industries on several investment rounds.
 

Download our short guide to commonly used terms in venture capital transactions together with a checklist (with explanation) and an example heads of agreement letter for an early stage venture capital equity investment.  

Download our capability statement in relation to Emerging Technology and Growth Companies.  

All our documents are guide/example documents and may not suit or apply to a particular set of circumstances. No advice is given, or intended to be given, by reason of making this document available to any person or entity. No reliance should be placed on this document, as it is provided by way of example only. Appropriate legal, financial and tax advice should be sought in respect of any transaction. This document is not a substitute for taking such advice.

  • Ranked third for volume of UK M&A deals (up to US$500 million) during 2023, by Mergermarket
  • Ranked Top 10 for Global Private Equity and Venture Capital, Refinitiv VC and PE Legal Analysis 2023
  • Ranked eighth for European Private Equity Deals (volume), Global M&A Legal Advisers Review, Mergermarket 2023
  • Highly ranked (consistently Top 5 by volume of UK M&A transactions) by Mergermarket, Refinitiv, Experian and other league tables during 2023
  • Ranked Top 10 by Bloomberg Global M&A Mid-Market Review Legal Rankings 2023 (up to US$500 million)