News & Analysis as of

Venture Capital Contract Terms

Potomac Law Group, PLLC

When SAFEs Get Complicated: Hidden Pitfalls in Early-Stage Financing

Last month, a startup’s Series A nearly fell apart when investors and founders realized their different calculation methods produced a $750,000 variance. The culprit was not deception or bad faith, but rather a complex...more

Fenwick & West LLP

Convertible Notes & SAFEs: Still Popular, But Terms Are Tightening

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Convertible instruments held steady in Q1 2025, but the terms are shifting in favor of investors. Interest rates on convertible notes rose by 200 to 300 basis points, and discount rates climbed as high as 10.5 percentage...more

Goodwin

Convergence and Flexibility: LP Clawback Provisions in Private Funds

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A majority of private fund managers set the clawback limit at 25%, but they calculate the clawback differently depending on fund type. Limited partner (LP) clawback provisions enable fund managers to call back previously...more

DarrowEverett LLP

Your Business's Growth Blueprint: Why Solid Legal Documents Matter

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Every successful business owner has ambition to grow, scale, and take his/her company to the next level. However, there’s one critical, often overlooked aspect that can make or break a business’s ability to get to that level:...more

Weintraub Tobin

The Briefing: Who Owns Jack Nicklaus? Lessons for The Creator Economy From a Brand Battle

Weintraub Tobin on

What happens when a business built on a celebrity’s name no longer controls the name itself? In this episode of The Briefing, attorneys Scott Hervey and Jessica Marlow break down the Nicklaus Companies v. GBI decision and...more

Ropes & Gray LLP

Considerations When Contracting with Academic Spinouts

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Due in part to the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which incentivized universities to commercialize their technology, the number of academic spinouts has grown in recent years. This is particularly true in the life sciences space,...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Beyond the Discount: Why Maturity Terms Matter in Convertible Notes

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

When negotiating convertible notes, parties typically focus on the terms of conversion upon an equity financing, most notably the discount and valuation cap.  This is understandable inasmuch as the not-so-hidden secret of...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

A Sharper Focus: Exploring VC Side Letters

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A side letter in the venture capital sector is an agreement between an investor and the company it is investing in that entitles the investor to certain contractual rights, which supplement and are in addition to other rights...more

Goodwin

Five Areas in Which VC and Growth Equity Deal Terms Are Unique to France

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Over the past decade, France has emerged as a powerhouse in the European tech ecosystem. The surge of French unicorns, supported by the government’s “French tech” initiatives — which include tax credits and the formation of...more

Proskauer - Corporate Defense and Disputes

Eleventh Circuit Invalidates Contest Providing Venture-Capital Funding for Black Women

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a contest providing venture-capital funding only to Black female applicants is substantially likely to violate section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which...more

Goodwin

Subscription-Secured Credit Facilities: Recent Developments in the US Market and Considerations for Real Estate Funds

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Fund-level subscription-secured revolving lines of credit are a well-established instrument in the toolkits of a variety of private equity fund sponsors and managers, including for venture capital funds, hedge funds, debt...more

Mintz - Intellectual Property Viewpoints

The Impact of Venture Capital Funding on Entity Status

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) offers reductions in official fees to patent applicants that qualify for “small entity” status, which can be advantageous for many companies. However, various factors...more

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

What is a Management Rights Letter?

Here’s a situation we see often when a company is negotiating a Series A financing. They’ve gotten through diligence, completed the lengthy and difficult process of negotiating, documenting and finalizing the venture...more

WilmerHale

Are Term Sheets Really Nonbinding?

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You’re in the thick of week two of negotiations on a term sheet with a potential investor and you can’t help but wonder why you’re spending so much time on a document that has “nonbinding” written all over it. While it is...more

Goodwin

The 15-Minute Founder's Guide: Series A Financing Documents

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Heading into a startup equity financing, especially the company’s first, every founder or member of the management team owes it to their stakeholders, their company and themselves to have at least a working knowledge of the...more

Goodwin

What You Need To Know About Negotiating A Venture Term Sheet

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For any founder, whether a first-timer or a serial entrepreneur, it’s an exciting moment when you receive a term sheet from a venture capital fund for your company’s first preferred stock financing round. Excitement aside,...more

WilmerHale

In Case You Missed It: Launch Links - July 2019 #4

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Some interesting links we found across the web this week: How Enforceable is Your Non-Compete Clause? Courts frequently hold non-compete clauses, that state that an individual cannot compete with a certain company in a...more

WilmerHale

2019 M&A Report

WilmerHale on

With favorable macroeconomic conditions prevailing for much of 2018, high levels of cash among strategic acquirers and interest rates still at historically low levels (despite four interest rate hikes during the year), the...more

WilmerHale

In Case You Missed It: Launch Links - January 2019 #3

WilmerHale on

Some interesting links we found across the web this week: Who the Hell is Running My Startup? - Entrepreneurs are known for their passion and drive. They believe in their idea and will do whatever they can to turn that...more

BCLP

Recent Revisions to NVCA Series A Model Legal Documents (part 3 of 3)

BCLP on

This post is the third of a three-part series looking at the current NVCA Series A model legal documents. The National Venture Capital Association (“NVCA”) has created and maintained a standardized, industry-embraced set...more

BCLP

Recent Revisions to NVCA Series A Model Legal Documents (part 2 of 3)

BCLP on

This post is the second of a three-part series looking at the current NVCA Series A model legal documents. The National Venture Capital Association (“NVCA”) has created and maintained a standardized, industry-embraced set...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Sellout: Why Control is Key in the Sale of VC-Backed Companies

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Every founder of a growth startup dreams of a big, successful exit — a sale of the company for millions of dollars. But that dream could be shattered if the investors are able to cause the company to be sold prematurely with...more

WilmerHale

Know Your Limits: Understanding Your Term Sheet’s Exclusivity Provision

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Hollywood’s exclusive parties include only the hottest A-listers. Exclusive sales are advertised only to a boutique’s biggest spenders. The startup world has its own take on exclusivity: Investors and buyers routinely insert...more

WilmerHale

What’s in a VC Term Sheet?

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You’ve just received your first venture capital term sheet. Congratulations—you’ve earned it. Now what does it all mean? “Pre-money valuation,” “liquidation preference,” “pro-rata participation rights”? A seasoned venture...more

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