Technology

Frank Gerratana discusses the relationship between blockchain and cryptocurrency and the underlying intellectual property issues and opportunities for patent holders.

Machine learning (ML), bioinformatics, artificial intelligence (AI), and other computational tools have become ubiquitous in the biotech and synthetic biology industries because such technology allows for rapid processing of a large amount of complex data to produce advancements in therapeutics and diagnostics. As the landscape becomes increasingly more competitive, it is important for companies, particularly in the aforementioned industries, to obtain patent protection for their AI-related technology.

Venture capital investing continues to thrive across all sectors. During the first half of 2021, the Mintz team advised more than 65 emerging companies and investors in transactions in all facets of the life sciences, technology, and energy and sustainability industries.

This issue of MintzTech Connect covers issues related to ransomware and mandatory vaccinations for people returning to private offices, plus spotlights on EcoCart and Stavvy.

Read about EcoCart, a company that provides an e-commerce plugin for merchants to offer carbon-neutral orders and a Chrome extension for shoppers looking to lower their carbon footprint.

Read about Stavvy, an innovative fintech company that provides a collaborative platform for lenders, title agents, attorneys, notaries, settlement agents, borrowers, and others involved in real estate transactions.

This issue covers the trend of public benefit companies going public, how gig workers may become eligible for equity compensation, a MintzEdge podcast on venture debt, and a spotlight on GroGuru.

Read about GroGuru, an AgTech company with hardware and software offerings that help farmers increase crop yield and more efficiently use water and other scarce resources sustainably.

Read about how companies can increase the enforceability of digital contracts, online terms incorporated by reference into non-electronic agreements, and updates of online terms.

This Mintz advisory reviews the challenges associated with agile software development contracts and provides best practices to avoid rising costs and legal disputes.

In the recent SolarWinds hack, the routine task of downloading a software update turned into a cybersecurity nightmare for over 18,000 organizations including the Treasury Department, AT&T and up to 85% of Fortune 500 companies. New York has the SHIELD Act, a statute that requires that organizations select third party service providers “capable of maintaining appropriate cybersecurity safeguards”.

In this edition of MintzTech Connect, we feature Turing Enterprises, builders of an AI-based platform that is revolutionizing the way tech companies in Silicon Valley and beyond hire mission-critical talent.

This issue covers the increase in the equity crowdfunding cap, a FINTECH.TV interview on the private capital marketplace, a “Mintz Minute” on how to write an executive summary for a start-up company, and a spotlight on Turing Enterprises.

Despite COVID-19 and its effects on the global economy, IPOs raised over $150 billion in 2020. In an episode of FinTech.TV’s Digital Asset Report, Vince Molinari interviewed Mintz Member Dan DeWolf, who discussed the outlook for IPOs and investment capital in 2021 and beyond.

This issue covers the SEC’s proposed relief from broker-dealer registration for certain finders, an article on exit options for public benefit corporations, and features on Boston Family Advisors and iAssay System.

Read about Boston Family Advisors and how it builds and operates single-family offices for venture capital and private equity professionals, and entrepreneurs.

Read about the SEC’s amendment to its capital raising rules for Regulation Crowdfunding to promote capital formation and expand investment opportunities.

This issue covers the SEC’s expansion of the “Accredited Investor” and “Qualified Institutional Buyer” definitions, an article on vesting for startups, a discussion of founder stock and vesting, and a feature on East Light Partners.

In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, the protagonist Atticus Finch tells his son: “One never really understands a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. Unless you take the time to stand in another person’s shoes and see the world from that person’s perspective, we really don’t process very well what others may be saying or feeling. In this challenging time of a global pandemic and national outrage for systemic social injustices, we urge all of our readers to listen (truly listen) to your colleagues and try to understand better what it is like to be in another person’s shoes. Black Lives Matter and it is up to all of us to listen, support each other, and to see how we can make this world better. We have assembled a list of books that may help deepen that understanding and encourage us all to work diligently to build the equitable world we all want for ourselves and our fellow citizens.

XENDEE is the most awarded Microgrid platform, and is the standard solution for Worley, the largest energy, chemicals and resources engineering services company in the world. The United States Department of Defense has recently selected XENDEE as its standard platform for the design of resilient Microgrids by all branches and services.