Do I Have to Collect VAT When My Startup Sells Software Abroad? You just landed your first paying customers in Europe. Your company is incorporated in the United States. Your bank account is in the United States. Your team is in the United States. Naturally, you assume European tax rules are somebody else’s problem. That
Do I Have to Collect VAT When My Startup Sells Software Abroad? Read More »
Can I Hire Employees in Another Country Through an Employer of Record? You found the perfect candidate. The problem is that they live in another country. Opening a foreign subsidiary to hire a single employee can take months, require significant legal work, and create ongoing compliance obligations. For an early-stage startup, that often feels unrealistic.
Can I Hire Employees in Another Country Through an Employer of Record? Read More »
Can I Claw Back Carry From My Fund Manager If Later Deals Go Bad? Your fund had a great start. Two portfolio companies exited early and generated strong returns. The General Partner (GP) carried interest distributions, and everyone seemed pleased with the results. A few years later, the picture looks different. Several remaining investments underperform.
Can I Claw Back Carry From My Fund Manager If Later Deals Go Bad? Read More »
An Investor Wants to Fund Me Through an SPV. What Does That Do to My Cap Table? You are raising a financing round. A prospective investor offers to participate through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). Instead of dozens of individual investors appearing on your cap table, only one entity will hold the shares. The investor
An Investor Wants to Fund Me Through an SPV. What Does That Do to My Cap Table? Read More »
Protect your startup’s brand identity with essential trademark strategies. Learn how to build resilience and avoid costly legal disputes from day one.
Trademark Protection Startups: Building A Resilient Brand From Day One Read More »
How Do Change-in-Control Provisions Affect Employees During an Acquisition? Your company is in acquisition discussions. The buyer’s legal team is reviewing employment agreements, equity grants, and executive compensation plans. During diligence, they identify an issue: several members of your leadership team have single-trigger acceleration provisions. Suddenly, a clause that seemed harmless when it was signed
How Do Change-in-Control Provisions Affect Employees During an Acquisition? Read More »
What Is a Zombie Fund and What Rights Do Limited Partners Have When a Fund Stops Investing? You invested in a venture fund expecting a fairly predictable lifecycle. The General Partner (GP) would deploy capital, support portfolio companies, pursue exits, distribute proceeds, and eventually wind down the fund. Years later, the fund is still operating.
What Is a Distribution Waterfall in a Venture Fund and How Does It Affect My Returns? You invested in a venture fund several years ago. One of the portfolio companies just announced a successful exit. Headlines are positive, the valuation looks impressive, and you start expecting a meaningful distribution. Then the distribution arrives. The payment
What Is a Distribution Waterfall in a Venture Fund and How Does It Affect My Returns? Read More »
How Do the FTC’s 2026 Merger Enforcement Changes Affect Startup Acquisitions? Many founders approach acquisitions with a simple assumption: If the transaction falls below the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act filing threshold, there is little antitrust risk. That assumption has never been entirely accurate. In 2026, it may be particularly dangerous. Over the past year, merger enforcement
How Do the FTC’s 2026 Merger Enforcement Changes Affect Startup Acquisitions? Read More »
What Is a Controlled Foreign Corporation and How Can a Foreign Subsidiary Affect My US Taxes? Your startup is growing internationally. To support customers abroad, you establish a subsidiary in Ireland, Singapore, or another business-friendly jurisdiction. The structure seems straightforward. The foreign company handles international operations while the US parent company focuses on domestic growth.
What Is ITAR and When Does My Startup’s Technology Trigger Export Control Compliance? Your startup develops software. You hire a talented engineer on an H-1B visa, share technical documentation through a cloud platform, and collaborate with contractors located in multiple countries. None of those activities feels like exporting technology. Under US law, some of them
What Is ITAR and When Does My Startup’s Technology Trigger Export Control Compliance? Read More »
What Is a Key Man Clause and Why Do Investors Want One in Startup Financing? You receive a term sheet from a lead investor. The valuation looks reasonable. The board structure seems manageable. Most of the economics align with what you expected. Then your attorney points to a provision buried in the governance section: a
What Is a Key Man Clause and Why Do Investors Want One in Startup Financing? Read More »
When Should My Startup Apply for a Trademark and What Happens If I Wait Too Long? Most founders think about trademark protection after launch. The product is live. The logo is finalized. The website is generating traffic. Customers are beginning to recognize the brand. Only then does someone ask whether the company should file a
When Should My Startup Apply for a Trademark and What Happens If I Wait Too Long? Read More »
Learn employee equity vesting basics and how founders can structure fair compensation plans that retain top talent and align team incentives.
Employee Equity Vesting Basics: How Founders Navigate Vesting Read More »
How Does the EU AI Act Affect a US Startup After the 2026 Deadline Changes? The European Union recently pushed back several important Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act deadlines. Many founders saw the headlines and assumed they could stop worrying about compliance for a few more years. That would be a mistake. While certain implementation dates
How Does the EU AI Act Affect a US Startup After the 2026 Deadline Changes? Read More »
What Happens to My Co-Founder’s Equity If They Leave Before We Raise Money? Your co-founder helped build the first version of the product. They joined customer calls, worked late nights, and owned a meaningful piece of the company. Then, eight months after incorporation, they decide to leave. Maybe they accepted another job. Maybe the working
What Happens to My Co-Founder’s Equity If They Leave Before We Raise Money? Read More »
What Is a Good Leaver and Bad Leaver Clause and Why Does It Matter for My Executive Team? Your Vice President of Engineering has been with the company for three years. She helped build the first version of the product, hired key members of the team, and played a major role in getting the business
How Much Dilution Will a Bridge Round Add Before My Next Raise? Your runway is down to eight months. The company is growing, but not quite fast enough to hit the metrics investors expect for a Series A. Existing investors still believe in the business and offer to provide additional capital through a bridge round.
How Much Dilution Will a Bridge Round Add Before My Next Raise? Read More »
What Are Cumulative Dividends on Preferred Stock and Why Do They Show Up at Exit? You close your Series A financing. The term sheet includes a provision granting investors an 8 percent cumulative dividend on their preferred stock. Your lawyer notes that the clause occasionally appears in venture financings, the round is competitive, and everyone
What Are Cumulative Dividends on Preferred Stock and Why Do They Show Up at Exit? Read More »
What Is a Voting Agreement, and What Control Does It Give My Investors? You close your Series A financing. The cap table shows that you still own a majority of the company. On paper, nothing seems alarming. You remain the largest shareholder, and assume that means you retain control over major decisions. Then a disagreement
What Is a Voting Agreement, and What Control Does It Give My Investors? Read More »
