Startups | Early stage and high growth companies

Overview

We have a specialist team dedicated to helping startup companies, particularly in the technology sector.

Our specialist startup team works alongside early stage and high growth companies throughout New Zealand, and investors into those companies, assisting with establishment, shareholder arrangements, capital raising and exits.

Navigating investor interactions

We help early stage and high growth companies navigate interactions with investors including different investor groups and classes, and through all capital raising rounds such as seed and venture capital. We also develop, implement and manage liquidity or exit opportunities (including through sale, merger and public offerings).

Expert advice on IP, tech, and compliance

We also provide comprehensive advice on:

Development and commercialisation of intellectual property (IP) and technology products and services
Navigating commercial, privacy and other compliance complexities including – IP ownership and protection, licensing, user terms, distribution and partnership arrangements, and key customer and vendor relationships

We advise regularly on:

Taxation
Employment
ESOP (or other employee equity).

Tools for companies - Back of a Napkin

We are committed to supporting New Zealand innovation in a range of practical ways. The article Call me, maybe? which discusses the types of legal advice early stage companies might require and when, and which was originally produced by one of our former partners, remains a useful reference resource.

We also developed Back of a Napkin, an online tool that addresses the essential questions that should be resolved at the beginning of a project (revenue sharing, decision making and intellectual property ownership). This free tool generates a basic agreement that is both easy to understand and works from a legal perspective, and provides a great foundation for those who are just starting out but are conscious of getting key business and legal issues right.

"Outstanding! Very responsive, they provide advice that is easy to understand and, where others come up with reasons why we can't do stuff, they give us a list of what we can do."

Chambers and Partners

"They definitely know their stuff. They're very good at getting into the detail and explaining it in a very clear way, taking complicated legal concepts and translating them into business language."

Chambers and Partners

"They are superb, extremely responsive and commercial."

Chambers and Partners

Experience

Sector / Expertise

Work highlights

Letterboxd

We advised the founders of Letterboxd on the sale of a majority stake to listed technology investment vehicle Tiny, as well as on numerous arrangements from its inception, including IP and contractual arrangements.

PredictHQ

We advised the founders of PredictHQ and the company on significant capital raising rounds led by US venture capital funds, together with key contractual arrangements relating to development and commercialisation of its technology platform.

Trineo

We worked alongside Trineo on several key customer relationships and advised the founders on Trineo's acquisition by Traction in Demand.

Intel Capital’s investment

We advised on Intel Capital’s investment into Performance Lab Technologies.

Jarden Principal Investments

We advised Jarden Principal Investments as a lead investor in multiple capital raising rounds by solar power provider Lodestone Energy.

Pushpay

We acted for Pushpay on its NZAX compliance listing and later for Sixth Street on its acquisition of a cornerstone stake in then-NZX and ASX-listed Pushpay, as well as Sixth Street's subsequent participation in a consortium which made a successful take-private bid for Pushpay.

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