The HLaw Pod
By Humphreys Law
Of course, nothing on the Pod is or should be taken as legal or taxation advice and should not be relied upon. Always take your own independent professional advice. Thoughts given on the Pod may not be the house opinion of HLaw itself. Much of what is said will one day go out of date if not also conflict with future law.
The HLaw PodDec 20, 2022
Ep. 6: The tortoise and the hare: deep tech investing and taking the long view
Join us in this captivating episode of The HLaw Pod as we sit down with prominent deep tech investor and Founding Partner of ARIE Capital, Simon Tobelem, to discuss the fascinating world of deep tech and beyond, considering its transformative impact on various industries.
Tune in now for an informative and thought-provoking conversation as Simon and HLaw's Henry Humphreys delve into the current landscape of the UK venture scene, the role of AI in different industries, the interesting nuances that differentiate deep tech venture capital from the rest of VC and much more.
Ep. 5: Venturing across the pond: insights into the dynamic US and UK venture-tech ecosystems
Join HLaw's Henry Humphreys and Annette Beresford as they delve into a thought-provoking discussion alongside our US best friend and special guest, Donald Lee, Managing Partner at LA-based law firm Prospera Law.
In this episode, the team uncover the intricate workings of the US and UK venture ecosystems as they discuss the latest developments in the sector and their profound impacts; from M&A trends to the fallout of SVB, from shifts in the VC community to the unfortunate wave of tech industry layoffs, no stone is left unturned. Together, they shed light on emerging trends and promising markets in both jurisdictions, offering invaluable insights into the ever-evolving venture landscape on both sides of the pond.
Ep. 4: FTX and Crypto wallet providers
The collapse of FTX has resulted in shockwaves throughout the crypto world, but what are the immediate consequences?
HLaw Senior Consultant and investment funds expert, Winston Penhall, discusses all that is currently going on in the world of crypto, including FTX and crypto wallet providers.
Ep. 3: Estonia's venture tech scene
During his trip to Estonia, HLaw's Managing Partner, Henry Humphreys, stopped by Hedman Law firm's Tallinn office to discuss all things venture tech with Senior Associate, Taavi Kõiv. Hedman is a leading firm in Estonia, focusing on investments and fundraising in the technology sector, and is one of HLaw's international best-friend firms.
In this interesting HLaw Pod episode, Henry and Taavi discuss the typical fundraising journey for technology companies in Tallinn, the time it takes to go through fundraising rounds and the stages in which Estonian tech ventures look to go overseas.
Ep. 2: 2022 Autumn Statement
After the frenzy that followed Trussenomics and the 'Mini Budget', the 2022 Autumn Statement was all about balancing the books with the least amount of upset possible.
In this episode of The HLaw Pod, Annette Beresford, Partner and Head of Tax, explores some of the main points of the Statement and aims to answer any questions people are likely to have.
Ep. 1: founder equity top ups
In our first episode of The HLaw Pod, Partner and Head of Tax, Annette Beresford, discusses her recent Insight article on founder equity with co-author and HLaw Senior Consultant, Jeremy Glover.
Flat and down rounds can take the wind out of a founder's sails: the dilution suffered may well affect levels of enthusiasm needed to further grow the business. Even a modest up round may not leave the founders with the percentage shareholdings that were anticipated at this stage of the company's development, and with further dilution to come on future funding rounds.
But it is possible to rebalance the cap table in a way that investors might go for and yet navigate around the obvious tax issues.
In this episode, Annette and Jeremy discuss tax implications, principal issues to avoid including how to avoid the dreaded dry tax charge, and the possibilities of using a favourable type of option scheme for a founder.