The increase in investment in clean tech and green tech has been exponential in the last three years and will continue apace for the near future. Are there unique legal or operational issues that set these kinds of startups apart from their IT and telecom counterparts? Do the financing and compensation terms negoitated with investors differ? Are there unique employee compensation or channel partner challenges?
The answer to all of the above is Palinesque: you betcha. From the time the first alternate energy and energy tech plays crossed our door at Venture Law Associates LLP, we've found that discrete but important differences exist between these and the typical high growth startup - Most significantly in the investor landscape and temperament, ip management and ip strategy, founding team skills, and the channels to market.
Fortunately, Toronto has a generous supply of first-rate lawyers who have played in all aspects of the energy sector - from alternate energy development and production to marketing and retail. We've been lucky enough to add their talent and wisdom to our team and we're beginning to agree that this is a unique startup space, with unique lessons that should be passed on.
This blog wll be a forum where the Venture Law Associates team will add our observations to the conversation. We'll also try and organize for you the many fragments of information that are relevant to you: who the emerging corporate strategic investors are, how to sell new fuels into regulated industries... we might also discuss footwear, but it's too soon to tell.
Comments? requested topics/questions you want answered? Yow now where to find us - info@venturelawassociates.com.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
