- Down-rounds, Re-Pricings, and Recaps Increase — The current macroeconomic environment, coupled with record increases in valuations over the last several years, is creating an increase in down-rounds, re-pricings, and recapitalizations.

Tech news and trends, from concept to commercialization
Retail innovation is booming in Israel and corporate executives best take notice, as reported in a recent Forbes article. Hardly the first time Forbes has taken notice, this…
Continue Reading Retail Innovation Booming in Israel
With the legendary success of technology giants born on campus, and the possibility that today’s college student could be tomorrow’s tech mogul, the academic world recognizes that it can be…
Continue Reading Academic Incubators Think Beyond Campus Borders to Spark Innovation
The past few years have seen an uptick in new accelerator and incubator programs that are focused on helping startups launch and grow. Participating in one of these programs can…
Continue Reading Incubator or Accelerator Program: Which Is Right for Your Business?
Known to many as the “Start-up Nation,” Israel has also been dubbed “Silicon Wadi”; ranking 7th amongst all countries in venture capital activity outside of the U.S. In 2015…
Continue Reading Silicon Wadi: VC Business in Israel
Excerpted from the author’s article published in VC List. To read the complete article, please click here.
Patents can provide broad protection for invention and innovation. They can cover almost any novel aspect of a technology, including hardware, software, materials, and business methods. Many innovation developed by an emerging technology company can likely be patented, and patenting those innovations can create significant advantage in the marketplace.
A strong patent portfolio can help attract investments for emerging tech companies. Investors often look to see whether a fledgling company has protected its intellectual property (IP) when determining whether to invest.
Considerations When Disclosing Information about Your Invention
In the United States, as well as most of the world, the prior sale, prior use or public disclosure of the invention by the inventor or others may affect your ability to obtain a valid patent. Inventors may inadvertently jeopardize their ability to successfully apply for or be granted a patent by disclosing information about the invention to the public.
Manage Confidential Information to Avoid Unintentional Loss of IP Rights
One of the most important ways to protect IP is to avoid inadvertent or unplanned public disclosure. If the invention is released into the public domain — whether by publication, presentation, posting on a website, blogging, discussion with potential customers or suppliers — before a patent application has been filed, a total loss of the right to obtain a patent can result. Additionally, such inadvertent disclosure of the invention can reduce or eliminate competitive advantage.
To help protect your IP, there are some very basic documents you should always have in place to protect ownership and confidentiality of your intellectual property. The major ones are invention assignment agreements, NDAs, and employee handbooks.
Continue Reading Managing Your Patent Portfolio to Attract Investments
Structured exits are investment structures designed to achieve a desired investment return without reliance upon a traditional exit. Structured exit investments are ideal not only for impact investments, but also…
Continue Reading Structured Exits: A New Universe of Potential Funding for Companies in Underserved Markets
The Angel Capital Association (ACA) is the largest angel professional development organization in the world with over 12,000 members, 220 angel groups, and 10,000 early-stage companies in its members’ investment portfolios. Angel investing approximately equals that of venture capital investing, and has an enormous impact on the entrepreneurial eco-system in the United States and beyond.
For the second year, Greenberg Traurig has been a major sponsor of the ACA Summit, attended this year by over 600 angel investors from around the world who are leaders of their angel groups and represent thousands of investors. The firm sponsored the Innovation Showcase, which featured 28 innovative companies chosen by the NIH, NSF, and others. Greenberg Traurig’s team of David Gitlin, Craig Lilly, Jeff Joyner and Beth Cohen presented a workshop for the companies focused on the capital raising process, including valuation and term sheet issues, intellectual property protection, and alternative financing. The firm also hosted “office hours” with the companies, which enabled them to meet with the Greenberg Traurig team one on one to get legal input.
Continue Reading Greenberg Traurig Sponsors Angel Capital Association Summit
A McKinsey report published in February 2014 estimates that mobile phone ownership among adults in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is estimated to be 66 percent. The rapid spread of Internet-enabled mobile phones throughout SSA has created an opportunity for the emergence of tech startups and venture capital firms in economically vibrant cities such as Accra, Lagos, and Nairobi. For many people, mobile phones are more than a communication tool. They are a technology platform that provides access to other services and experiences such as money transfer, entertainment, and education. As a consequence, tech entrepreneurs have seized this opportunity to provide tools and applications relevant to the African context. Their rise is aided in part by relatively low operational capital costs due to inexpensive Internet bandwidth and data storage. This growth offers much needed employment, opens avenues for wealth generation, and increases the role of science and technology in the continuing expansion of Africa’s economies. Notable SSA startups include Konga, an ecommerce company in Nigeria, and Ushahidi, a global eyewitness reporting application founded in Kenya. …
Continue Reading The Rise of Technology Startups in Sub-Saharan Africa