Most university-based start-ups face the reality of needing to raise capital to escape the Valley of Death and grow the business – and offering equity shares for cash is a common move. But is it the right move, and can it be handled in a way that minimizes the dilution of equity among founders and earlier investors – including the university itself?
Understanding equity dilution is critically important for the tech transfer and university space, and for any entrepreneur who has who plans on raising growth capital. But making the wrong moves at the wrong time can have a devastating and unexpected impact on not only the value of each party’s equity stake but on the prospects for future fundraising rounds, on valuation, and on the ultimate issue: whether the business succeeds or fails. That’s why Tech Transfer Central has tapped a leading attorney expert for this important webinar:
We’ve teamed up with attorney Tyson Benson to provide you with clear guidance on the critical understanding needed to draft equity share dilution provisions that walk the fine line between leaving your founders or your university out in the cold and attracting needed funds, while ensuring immediate funding needs aren’t sacrificing critical valuation and future fundraising rounds. Here is a quick look at the agenda:
- How share dilution works and what it means for shareholders during the lifecycle of the start-up
- How equity share can affect ownership and voting rights
- How to calculate share dilution
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Best practice provisions for fair share dilution
Meet your presenter:
Tyson Benson
Of Counsel
Bejin Beinemam PLC
Tyson Benson is a patent attorney with over a decade of intellectual property experience. His intellectual property law practice is primarily devoted to the procurement, management, and protection of patent rights for his clients’ most important technologies.
As a patent attorney who began his career as a computer engineer, Tyson understands the importance of innovation and has the technical expertise to serve clients from virtually any industry. He has served clients ranging from start-ups to universities to Fortune 500 companies in obtaining patent protection in a wide variety of new and emerging technologies. Tyson has drafted multiple claim sets that have withstood scrutiny during Inter Partes review proceedings.
Tyson also assists clients in managing their patent portfolios, performing IP due diligence investigations, evaluating the validity and enforceability of patents, and providing litigation support. He is also regularly involved in securing trademark protection, negotiating profitable licensing agreements, providing litigation support and conducting freedom to operate analyses. Tyson helps clients frame their valuable intellectual property assets within the bigger picture of their total business strategy. He is an enthusiastic advocate for his clients’ work and for safeguarding their assets through the approvals process and onto the open market.
Tyson regularly presents on intellectual property related topics and has been featured in multiple publications for his insight on the nuances of patent law.
