For start-ups aiming to grow through innovative solutions, securing investment is a crucial milestone for achieving their growth objectives. Venture capitals (VCs) that invest in start-ups under various strategies and expectations tend to regulate their legal relationships with the start-ups through various agreements, primarily shareholder agreements. The investment documents need to be designed considering factors such as the size of the start-up receiving the investment, the amount of investment, and the sector in which it operates. Therefore, it is essential to draft financing agreements, including shareholder agreements, convertible notes, and SAFEs, in accordance with ecosystem dynamics and Turkish law.

Moreover, other important aspects include employee stock option agreements (ESOP) signed by the start-up’s employees, the legal compliance of the start-up’s business activities, and its corporate structure. For venture capital investments and start-ups, Aksan Law Firm provides the following services:

• Preparing investment-related agreements such as term sheets, share subscription agreements, and shareholder agreements, organizing the closing general assembly, and managing the investment process from start to finish,
• Drafting financing agreements structured as a mix of debt and equity, such as convertible notes and SAFEs,
• Conducting legal due diligence to evaluate the start-up from a legal perspective and identify the legal risks associated with the start-up,
• Preparing employee stock option plans and option agreements,
• Providing consultancy to ensure that the start-up is legally organized to be suitable for investment.