As we pass the midpoint of 2025, it’s timely to look back at what we saw in the first half and reassess the road ahead. Were our predictions from the beginning of the year on the mark, or did we get it wrong? What do we...more
This year is off to a bumpy start in terms of dealmaking. A multitude of factors, including tariff-a-geddon, supply chain disruption, stubbornly high long-term interest rates (not coming down as expected), deregulation (not...more
Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) investment is an increasingly used strategic tool that enables large corporations to make minority investments in startups that will complement and expand their existing products or services....more
Yes, indeed! What Brad Garlinghouse of Ripple Labs called “Gensler’s reign of terror” ended with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler’s resignation upon President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Paul...more
1/28/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Investment ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stablecoins ,
U.S. Treasury
It should come as no surprise that venture capital (VC) investors are drilling down into startups building businesses with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the core. New data from PitchBook actually shows that AI startups make...more
As we launch into the next quarter century, there is much speculation about what the future holds for private equity (PE) as an asset class and driver in dealmaking. Momentum started to pick up in 2024 with the Fed announcing...more
1/13/2025
/ Capital Markets ,
Capital Raising ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Interest Rates ,
Investment ,
Investment Funds ,
Investment Management ,
Private Equity ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Securities ,
Stock Markets
Everyone is closely watching developments in the artificial intelligence (AI) space in terms of advancements, regulations, and investment. As we go to print on this post, SoftBank’s Vision Fund has just announced its...more
Venture Capital investment in retail fintech rebounded in Q2, according to a new report from PitchBook. Their Q2 2024 Retail Fintech Report shows deal value for this sector coming in at $4.5 billion for the quarter, an...more
Amid a period of recalibration, the artificial intelligence industry is experiencing a transformational phase.
According to a recent report from Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence that closely...more
5/21/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Algorithms ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) ,
Compliance ,
Copyright ,
Data Collection ,
Data Privacy ,
Due Diligence ,
Ethics ,
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Investment ,
Popular ,
Purchase Agreement ,
Startups
In recent months, there has been an onslaught of negative news surrounding startup investment. However, recent reporting from The Information points to two specific sectors where investment is actually on the rise....more
5/20/2024
/ Analytics ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Compliance ,
Dispute Resolution ,
Employee Definition ,
Independent Contractors ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
Liability ,
Licensing Rules ,
Machine Learning ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Royalties ,
Software ,
Startups
While the M&A market overall was less active than many had hoped in 2023, and with 2024 off to a sluggish start, some areas still look stronger than others, including the sports market.
The sports industry has become so...more
In today’s globalized world, understanding international markets is crucial for businesses aiming to expand their footprint and capitalize on emerging opportunities. As part of Foley & Lardner’s ongoing series of General...more
We all know funding for startups has been in short supply over the past year, but a recent PitchBook article points to a large drop in active venture capital investors in the US. They define active investors as those who have...more
There have been exciting advancements in the digital health space over the past few years that are truly changing lives, but the sector seems to be experiencing a reset as investment drops off. Below, we look at some current...more
As the world grapples with fast-changing weather patterns, wildfires, record-breaking heat, and many other climate-related issues, it is becoming increasingly important to develop the technologies that will help to combat...more
11/6/2023
/ Bureau of Labor Statistics ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Energy Storage ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Popular ,
Renewable Energy ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Technology Sector
As we approach 2024, the M&A landscape is set to experience more shifts and trends that will redefine how companies approach these transactions, and CEOs are keeping a keen eye.
n this volatile post-pandemic era...more
11/1/2023
/ Acquisitions ,
Clean Energy ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cross-Border ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
Mergers ,
Private Equity ,
Regulatory Reform
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has signed a bill that mandates venture capitalists to report the diversity of the founding members of businesses they invest in, making the first state to require venture capital firms to...more
10/11/2023
/ Data Collection ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
First Amendment ,
Invasion of Privacy ,
Investment ,
Minority-Owned Businesses ,
New Legislation ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Startups ,
Transparency ,
Venture Capital ,
Women-Owned Businesses
Foley recently cohosted a webinar with 4thly featuring a panel of legal and policy experts addressing President Biden’s New Outbound Investment Screening Program....more
9/12/2023
/ Biden Administration ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Investment ,
Investment ,
National Security ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Technology Sector ,
US Trade Policies
Venture capital (VC) funding is the lifeblood that propels many early-stage startups from mere concepts to industry disruptors. Securing VC investment is no easy feat, especially in today’s economic climate. To stand out in...more
Much has been said about the return of M&A in 2023, and while there are deals happening, it is not the boom that many expected. But could all that change in 2024? Is this year setting the stage for a return to more deals...more
Despite belt-tightening in IT budgets across enterprises, software-as-a-service (SaaS) continues to experience sustained growth. As companies continue to embrace digitalization and cloud-based solutions, the Enterprise SaaS...more
RSA Conference 2023 took place this fine spring week in San Francisco, bringing together experts and thought leaders in the cybersecurity industry from across the globe. Foley & Lardner had the privilege of co-hosting a...more
We have talked a lot about valuations over the past few months, as many startups have seen their valuations drop due to a myriad of issues on a global scale. Pitchbook has released its 2022 US VC Valuations Report, and the...more
As we project ourselves forward in 2023, amidst the clouds, a bright spot for optimism is burning brightly for early stage, deep tech startup companies and investors. It’s no surprise that last year we saw a decrease in...more
A buzz is starting to build that we could see a return to blockbuster venture capital investment in 2023. Although firms have been wary of investment over the past few months, that is predicted to change. If venture capital...more