Overview
Fareya Araoui provides the legal services that startups need for innovative ideas from conception to raising outside funding. We serve entrepreneurs at a stage when cost often leads them to forgo legal advice and postpone legal formalities.
When servicing startups, we aim to ensure that they have a solid foundation and a tidy corporate and governance structure to ensure they are ready to attract investors.
We advise on organising, structuring, and documenting all forms of legal entities worldwide, including initial investments, founders’ agreements, intellectual property protection and compliance with regulations. We evaluate and structure seed, angel, and venture capital financings, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and joint development arrangements. As clients’ outside general counsel, we often serve as a member of their executive management team.
Empowering Startups from Inception
Our team’s background in fintech consulting, venture capitalism, law, and founding startups means we’ve seen it all – the pitfalls to avoid, the strategies that work, and the keys to success and failure. We know the journey because we’ve walked it ourselves.
Our most unique asset is our team’s serial startup founders. Having been in the trenches themselves, they bring a wealth of practical experience, understanding the highs and lows of starting and scaling a business firsthand. This perspective allows us to offer empathetic yet strategic advice.
how we can Help
CHOOSING THE VEHICLE
Our firm provides specialized guidance in selecting the optimal business structure for startups, recognizing the importance of aligning this choice with the venture’s specific requirements.
- We start by understanding the size of your team, as it can impact the choice of structure. For example, a solo entrepreneur might need a different setup compared to a business with several founders.
- We consider your plans for investment. If you’re looking to attract investors, some business structures might be more appealing than others. We guide you through these options to find the best fit for your future goals.
- We also focus on protecting your personal assets. Starting a business comes with risks, including the potential for debts. We advise on structures that can shield your personal property from business liabilities.
Our aim is to provide clear and straightforward advice. We help you select a business structure that supports your startup’s growth, manages risks, and aligns with your specific needs.
Company Registration and Legal Structuring:
- Guiding you through the entire process of company registration, including selection of the appropriate legal entity (e.g., LLC, Free Zone Company, Joint Stock Company) that best suits your business model and growth plans.
- Assistance with all necessary paperwork, legal documentation, and liaison with relevant authorities to ensure a smooth registration process.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONSIDERATIONS
Advising on the integration of intellectual property protection into your corporate structure from the outset, ensuring your innovations and creations are legally safeguarded.
Drafting of Partnership and Shareholder Agreements
Crafting comprehensive partnership and shareholder agreements that clearly define rights, responsibilities, and expectations of all parties involved, minimizing the risk of future disputes.
Special attention is given to provisions on share allocation, profit distribution, decision-making processes, and exit strategies.
Founders’ documents
The founders’ employment status with the start-up, The founders’ ownership of the start-ups, and The transfer to the start-up of any IP created by the founders before and following the start-up’s formation.
We have professional investors, venture capitalists and private equity managers who can guide you on the:
- viability of your pitch deck,
- give you insider perspective on issues that investors tag as red flags, and what drives their decisions,
- help you navigate your way through potential investors.
Private Capital Raising
Our services include negotiating and drafting the required legal documents and guiding you through the process for any round of funding (including pre-seed, seed, Series A, Series B and beyond).
ONGOING SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE
Ongoing support to ensure your startup remains compliant with all local laws and regulations, including corporate governance, and industry-specific requirements.
Corporate, Secretarial Services
- We provide subscription based support to startups, drafting resolutions for the appointment and resignation/removal of officers, issuing of shares and share transfers; changes to articles of association change of company names, etc.;
- maintenance of statutory registers and minute books;
- preparation of notices and minutes of board and general meetings;
- preparation and filing of forms and resolutions with the Registrar of Companies, including annual confirmation statements;
- storage of documents (whether soft or hard copies) on a secure virtual data room for clients’ easy access.
Related Practices
- Corporate Secretarial
- Data Protection and Privacy
- Venture Capital
- Corporate / M&A