Venture Capital

Bird & Bird is a leading international legal adviser to high-growth companies within the venture capital ecosystem; including angel investors, equity and debt funds, corporate investors, incubators, accelerators and funding platforms.

As one of few firms that advise on the complete spectrum of venture capital work – equity investments, growth or venture debt, fund formation and corporate venturing - we are intimately familiar with market deal terms, structures and trends (and the pitfalls to avoid!).

Decades of experience advising at the initial start-up phase, through the full series of equity funding rounds and growth or venture debt raises, any bolt-on acquisitions or joint ventures and ultimately through to an exit (including M&A transactions, secondary buyouts and IPOs ), means we provide clients with efficient and comprehensive support. At an early stage we can foresee and resolve issues which may have an adverse impact on a future fundraising or the potential exit, giving clients a real commercial advantage. In delivering advice and guidance, we take into account the development stage of each company coupled with its future plans. This enables clients to prioritise legal work streams in a cost-effective manner.

Our practice is a market leader in the UK (with our London office advising on over 150 venture capital deals in 2017), a key player in the European venture capital community and well known to the leading investors in Asia and the US. By operating at the epicentre of global technological innovation, we can efficiently provide expert advice on the legal issues and processes relevant to companies seeking to grow at pace.

Working with clients who live and breathe cutting-edge technology is part of Bird & Bird's DNA. We advise innovative companies and investors that are heavily reliant on intangible assets from across a broad range of industries. These include insurtech, fintech, regtech, robotics, cybersecurity, cleantech, edtech, healthtech, biotech and life sciences, as well as companies with SaaS models which utilise AI or blockchain solutions or embrace the Internet of Things.

The venture team are supported continually by our other specialist departments. Our award-winning IP practice guides evolving companies in understanding how best to cost-effectively protect their assets (whether they are product designs, copyrights, including source code, trade secrets, brands or otherwise) and our market-leading commercial experts have a deep understanding of how businesses work and understand the key drivers applicable to our clients'' sectors. Our data protection team provides invaluable support to clients during this time of major regulatory change and our employee incentive and tax teams regularly advise on tax efficient structuring for investors, founders and employees.

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Case studies

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How does employee participation work in a German Start-up?

Sep 08 2023

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Crypto Venture Capital: Opportunities for start-up financing via tokens in Germany

Apr 12 2023

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Planning for an exit? How to prepare and choose the right exit path for your company?

Nov 15 2022

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Accolades

Continuously ranked in band one by the UK Legal 500 for venture capital and private equity.

Legal 500

2018 Legal 500 EMEA: Band 2 listing France: Private equity: Venture and growth capital.

Legal 500

News & Deals

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News

Bird & Bird advises Karista on investment in constellr

Sep 01 2023

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Deal

Bird & Bird advises Paladin Capital Group on Hack The Box's $55m Series B fundraising

Jan 18 2023

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Deal

Bird & Bird advises the Dementia Discovery Fund on its investment into Amphista Therapeutics

Jan 05 2023

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Deal

Bird & Bird advises ABB Technology Ventures on its investment into climate tech start-up Tallarna

Nov 23 2022

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Deal

Bird & Bird advises blockchain app developer Tatum on its $41.5m Series A financing round

Oct 28 2022

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Deal

Bird & Bird advises CommerceIQ on its acquisition of e.fundamentals

Jul 26 2022

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