The greatest difference between start-ups and more traditional companies is in their objectives and strategies.
Where a traditional company, whether it is a very small company, SME, intermediate size company or a large group, operates by following a business plan and drawing profits, start-ups instead attempt to define and test different plans until they discover one that is competitive and can be reproduced on a larger scale.
Companies usually look to acquire market share; start-ups look to revolutionise the market and bring their projects to life.
Some measure their success based on their longevity. For others, success only becomes apparent once the founder’s capital is partially or fully diluted.
Advising start ups is therefore different from advising other companies. It requires us to be very flexible at the beginning and all throughout the life cycle of the start-up, so that we can constantly adapt our legal services to all of the following :
- An evolving business model ;
- Short- and long-term KPIs that are different from those of a traditional company ;
- Evolving capital structures and financing strategies ;
- Risk taking.
Our work
Our teams are deeply familiar with the specific challenges faced by startups and advises them on all stages of their establishment and development :
- Advice and support on establishing their structure
- Legal feasibility studies ;
- Articles of association;
- Shareholders’ agreements ;
- Protection of innovation ;
- Initial client and supplier contracts.
- Initial fundraising
- Tax structuring ;
- Assistance with investor negotiations ;
- Drafting of legal documents.
- Public subsidies and financing
- Employment law
- General terms and conditions of use
- Intellectual property and data :
Trademarks, patents, domain names, remote sales, IT development contracts, personal data, big data systems.
