Experienced venture capital lawyers for emerging and growth companies and investors, from incorporation through to exit
Osborne Clarke’s emerging companies and venture capital team is our dedicated multi-disciplinary team for high-growth companies and venture capital and growth equity investors. We bring together corporate, regulatory, commercial, IP, incentives, employment and tax specialists to support innovation‑driven businesses and their investors throughout their lifecycle, from incorporation through to exit.
Technological and societal transformation – from digitalisation and the use of data, to decarbonisation, energy innovation and advances in life sciences – continues to drive demand for capital and specialist advice. Emerging companies and investors need lawyers who understand both the venture ecosystem and the realities of building and scaling a business. Our emerging companies and venture capital team provides innovative, multi-jurisdictional support to founders, investors, high growth companies and spin-outs, from across Europe and beyond, at every stage of their journey.
The team is the best there is when it comes to venture capital. They combine outstanding, clear legal advice with practical, commercial solutions in everything they do. The team has tremendous experience across all stages of a company’s life – from spin-out, to series A and all the way through to exit, and understand the constraints and considerations for each type of investor. A one-of-a-kind.
Full lifecycle support
We work with emerging companies and investors at every stage of growth, offering truly full lifecycle support:
- Starting up and pre‑spin‑out: We advise on structuring ideas and research projects, spin‑out planning, IP strategy and ownership, and agreements between founders, universities, research institutions and early investors. We also assist with incorporation, founder and shareholder arrangements, early hires and initial commercial contracts.
- Governance and incentives: We design and implement board governance structures, shareholder arrangements, constitutional documents and investor rights, and, together with our incentives and employment teams, option schemes and other incentive arrangements that support growth and help attract and retain key people.
- Fundraising and growth: Our core focus is on investor fundraising and related strategic transactions, from seed and Series A through to larger institutional and growth rounds. We advise on term sheets, valuation mechanics, investment structures, investor rights and governance, coordinating with tax, incentives, regulatory and commercial specialists so that fundraising supports, rather than disrupts, your business model.
- Business operations and expansion: As ventures scale, we support commercial agreements, data and AI use, regulatory compliance (including financial services, life sciences and other regulated sectors), real estate needs, disputes, joint ventures and acquisitions. We help structure international expansion using Osborne Clarke’s UK and European network, and wider international reach.
- Mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and exit: We guide clients through secondary transactions, strategic M&A, private equity processes, joint ventures, and work as advisers for IPOs. Our aim is to support you from the earliest stages through to a successful liquidity event – and beyond, where the journey continues in a new form.
Throughout this lifecycle you benefit from a single, joined‑up team that understands your history, cap table, risk profile and strategy.
Emerging companies and venture capital experience
Case studies
Our emerging companies and venture capital team brings together corporate, regulatory, commercial, IP, tax, incentives and employment specialists across our international offices into a fully integrated, multi-disciplinary service at every stage of the journey. As one of Europe's most active venture capital legal teams, we provide innovative and multi-jurisdictional support that helps our clients scale, attract investment and realise successful exits. Take a look at just a few examples of this in the case studies below:
Flock
Osborne Clarke has worked with insurance technology company, Flock, since it was a start-up in 2017, all the way through to its £80m acquisition by Admiral Group in 2026.
Nexeon
Osborne Clarke advised leading battery materials developer and manufacturer, Nexeon, through two successful multi-million pound fundraising rounds.
N26
Osborne Clarke advised N26, a German direct bank, in a billion-dollar funding round with top investors including Third Point, Coatue and Dragoneer.
Zihipp
Osborne Clarke advised biotech start-up, Zihipp, from its original spin-out from Imperial College London in 2012, through funding rounds, and then on to its sale to Metsera Inc 12 years later.
Resources
What is venture capital?
Take a look at our introduction to venture capital for an overview of what VC is and what you need to take into account before investment.
Are you investor ready?
How ready are you and your business for investment? Our quick online tool will help you check, giving you a personalised report, investor-ready score and a rundown of where any gaps might be.
Navigating the VC investment process
Check out our article on how your company can successfully navigate the VC investment process.
Preparing for VC investment
Read our top 10 tips for companies on how best to prepare for VC investment.
Corporate governance and compliance for start-ups
Watch our on-demand webinar about common issues and practical solutions in corporate governance and compliance for start-ups.
A cap(italisation) table shows a breakdown of a company’s shareholders' equity.
It includes all of a company’s equity ownership information such as common equity shares, preferred shares, warrants, and convertible equity.
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