Emerging Growth Companies and Venture Capital Financing: Principles and Practice

Catalog description

The start-up high technology enterprise, privately financed largely with funds provided by angel investors and venture capital firms, is a successful source of important new and technologically innovative products. Many highly visible and successful companies have raised venture capital at some point in their life cycle. This course covers the legal and business issues that arise in the context of representing emerging growth companies and the venture capital investors who provide an important source of capital to such companies. In particular, the course will focus on the legal issues typically encountered by private companies at formation, financing, operation and key corporate events, including acquisition transactions and public offerings. Topics covered will include corporate formation and governance, angel investments (both equity and debt), venture capital financing, employment and equity compensation matters, protection of intellectual property, securities laws compliance, venture debt financing and exit strategies through merger, acquisition or initial public offering. The course will offer an introduction to these topics through the eyes of attorneys who practice in a leading Silicon Valley-based law firm active in New York City's technology market and may also include guest presentations by industry participants, such as venture capitalists, angel investors and entrepreneurs.