New Ventures Strategic Partner Spotlight: Mark Kremer
Mark focuses his practice on business, commercial and intellectual property matters including new company growth, asset protection, product development, risk management and litigation avoidance. He regularly guides businesses through growth and operational challenges acting as outside general counsel. Mark has over 30 years of experience in complex business litigation including insurance coverage for policy holders. He prosecutes and perfects intellectual property protection around the world and has extensive experience in licenses and acquisitions of intellectual property. He is a regular lecturer on commercial relations, domestic and international intellectual property issues for trade groups and business programs.
Thompson Hine Awarded “Best Law Firms” First-Tier Rankings – Venture Capital Law
Thompson Hine LLP is pleased to announce that it has repeated its top-tier placement in the Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings, earning national and regional recognition in the 2025 edition. Firms on the “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise. Thompson Hine received a total of 161 rankings, including a National Tier 2 ranking and a Regional Tier 1 ranking in Venture Capital Law. “Best Law Firms,” is compiled by surveying thousands of law firm clients and lawyers. Firms are then ranked for their expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, integrity and whether a client or lawyer would refer business to the firm.
CTA Compliance Reminder
As you may be aware, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), a component of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, took effect on January 1, 2024. This new requirement impacts millions of companies, particularly small businesses, startups and growth-stage enterprises. Please note that noncompliance could result in substantial civil or criminal penalties if filings are not completed by year-end. As we anticipate a high volume of requests regarding CTA compliance leading up to the deadline, we encourage you to reach out to your Thompson Hine contact as soon as possible to discuss your compliance needs.
Startups Streamlined in Chicago
The Startups Streamlined event on October 30 united Chicago’s vibrant startup and venture capital community for an engaging discussion on the city’s flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem. The panel covered key industry developments and pressing challenges impacting startups, founders and venture capital investors, offering practical insights and guidance for navigating high-growth businesses. Attendees explored Chicago’s collaborative culture, diverse industries and robust network of investors and incubators, highlighting the city’s potential as a leading hub for future entrepreneurial success
Thompson Hine to Sponsor BLCK VC Holiday Event
Thompson Hine is proud to sponsor the BLCK VC Holiday Party this December, which will be an evening of music, food, networking and chapter awards. BLCK VC, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to increasing the representation and success of Black investors in venture capital, aiming to build a more inclusive industry for future generations. With Black investors currently representing only 3% of venture capitalists and just 2% of decision-making partners, BLCK VC works to provide access, education and community to accelerate their careers. The organization strives to transform venture capital into a diverse engine for change and generational wealth creation.
Launch NY Annual Meeting
Earlier this month, Lindsay Karas Stencel presented at the Launch NY Annual Meeting, celebrating 12 years of advancing Upstate New York's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event highlighted Launch NY’s pivotal role in providing early-stage capital to fuel startup growth and underscored the importance of collaboration across all funding stages to sustain regional momentum.
NYS Innovation Summit Panel Recap
The NYS Innovation Summit in Syracuse was an inspiring gathering of industry leaders and innovators! Dr. Marnie LaVigne led an engaging panel featuring Gillian D. Francis, Saurabh Kumar and Lindsay Karas Stencel. The panel explored the latest trends in venture capital and climate tech, including insights on funding opportunities and innovative solutions in the sector. Thompson Hine was excited to be a part of this wonderful opportunity and to connect with the Syracuse startup community.
Pre-Seed Report
Carta published their latest edition of the Carta State of Pre-Seed report this month, which covered all fundraising on SAFEs or Convertible Notes up through Q3 2024.
Key Highlights:
- Slightly Slower Quarter: Capital raised in pre-priced rounds slowed in Q3, though we expect the final figures will align more closely with Q2 over time.
- Messy Market with Wide Valuation Ranges: Pre-seed rounds are occurring at widely varying valuation caps, ranging from $5M to $20M post-money, reflecting significant market unpredictability.
- Rise of the Discount-Only SAFE: SAFEs with a discount as the sole conversion term have doubled their share in 2024, accounting for 8% of SAFEs signed compared to 4% in 2023. Is this the start of a bigger trend or just a blip?
Read the full report now for many more piercing data insights.
***Data provided by Carta Insights
QuickLaunch: Experienced Guidance for Startups and Investors
Our QuickLaunch program is tailored to entrepreneurs, startups and investors, providing guidance on growth and funding cycles and offering cost-effective counsel on day-to-day legal matters from formation to funding to exits. Our seasoned team helps navigate the confusing waters of growth, funding, expansion and those tricky legal issues that can arise, often at fixed or budgeted pricing by using our firmwide proprietary SmartPaTH™ tool. To learn more about our tailored, value-enhancing solutions, please visit our site.