Global law firm Ashurst is calling for FinTechs and GreenTechs to apply to the next cohort of the FinTech Legal Labs, a business accelerator programme aimed at enabling FinTech businesses to gain insight into legal issues affecting their business, as well as accessing the firm's network of corporate clients, leading financial institutions, investors and potential partners.
The three day programme will run from 1 – 3 March 2022, bringing together legal experts from across Ashurst's practice groups with investors and advisors to support FinTech companies at various stages of development.
The programme is being led by partner and Head of Ashurst Advance Digital Tara Waters and Global ESG / Sustainability partner Anna-Marie Slot.
It includes a new dedicated sustainability stream, in partnership with Hitachi Vantara, to arm FinTech and GreenTech start-ups with data-driven insights into sustainable technology initiatives to help them better understand and achieve their sustainable digital transformation goals. A new Capital Raise Competition and prize will also run as part of the program, with support from US Capital Global. The winner will be awarded £75,000 in prize value to cover the cost of a regulated offering and capital raise for their business from investors in Europe and the United States."
"Our FinTech Legal Labs programme has been an enormous success since launch, and we are delighted to be offering a new cohort of FinTech's the opportunity to access this platform," Tara Waters said.
"FinTech is an area of key growth and focus for the firm, and our significant bank and financial services practice perfectly places Ashurst to join the dots between these up-and-coming innovators and existing market institutions. We have had a great amount of interest so far, and recommend that anyone interested in participating in the programme get their applications in now."
Anna-Marie Slot added the new sustainability stream has exciting potential. "It is exceptional that we have added this dedicated ESG-specific support through our partnership with Hitachi Ventura for this new cohort of FinTech Legal Labs," she said.
"2021 is a significant year with regards to ESG developments in the financial sector - from the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation through to COP26 - and so our cohort next year will no doubt have ESG-issues front of mind.
"Advancing the sustainability agenda is a global priority, and we are delighted to be providing critical support through our FinTech Legal Labs to FinTechs and GreenTechs, to ensure they have the right legal, technology and governance infrastructure in place to support the transformation and integration of sustainable finance systems."
