TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS 🤝

Schoenherr - our new legal experts ⚖️

We know you're busy changing the world, one disruptive idea at a time.

But let's face it, while you're out there making waves, there's a sea of legalities that could easily capsize your venture if you're not careful.

That's where Schoenherr comes in – your legal lifebuoys!

But why do you need lawyers at all?

Navigating the legal landscape can be challenging for startups, but Schoenherr specializes in addressing their unique legal concerns. Schoenherr are not just any legal team, but your backstage crew, ensuring the spotlight stays on your performance, not on legal slip-ups. We can do three key things for you:

✅ Help you form your businesses

✅ Do your deals and

✅ Keep out of trouble

How do we do that?

We got your back in:

• Corporate Law - Your Business Blueprint
  Imagine building a skyscraper without a blueprint – chaotic, right? That's your startup without solid corporate law advice.

  We help you lay the foundation, from structuring your company to navigating the complexities of compliance. We're the architects of your business structure, making sure it's as sturdy as it is visionary.

• Employment - Your Team, Your Tribe

  Your team is your startup's heartbeat, and just like any good rhythm, it needs to be in sync.

  We're here to ensure your employment contracts and practices are in place, creating harmony and keeping discord at bay. Happy teams make for hit tunes!

• Data Protection - Your Trust Shield

  In this digital age, data is gold, and protecting it is not just smart – it's essential.

• Investor Relations - Your Financial Fuel

  Investors are the fuel that powers your startup engine. But even the best engines need the right oil to run smoothly. We're the legal mechanics ensuring your investor relationships are well-oiled machines, free of friction and full of trust.

• IP Law - Your Idea Vault

  Your ideas are your startup's superpower, and they deserve the ultimate fortress. Intellectual property law can be a maze, but we're the guides who help you safeguard your brainchildren and ensure their optimal protection.

Don't just take our word for it.

Let's talk about the startup that almost signed away their future in a bad deal – until we stepped in.

With our advice, they renegotiated and soared to new heights, securing funding that valued them twice as high. Or the tech wizards whose groundbreaking software was nearly compromised due to weak data protection policies. We fortified their legal defenses, and now they're the go-to in their market, with customer trust as their badge of honor.

Here are some other examples of how strategic legal advice, or the lack thereof, can lead to success or challenges:

Spotlight on IP Strategy - IBM's Smart Patent Management

IBM is a great example of a company that knows how to handle its intellectual property (IP) well. With one of the largest collections of patents worldwide, IBM uses its patents not just for protection but also to make money. They do this through licensing agreements, which bring in a lot of revenue and help them make deals with other tech companies. This clever management of IP assets has helped IBM stay a leader in innovation and keep its competitive advantage in the tech industry for many years.

Lessons from Legal Missteps - Uber's Driver Classification Dilemma

Uber ran into big legal problems because of how it classified its drivers. Originally, Uber treated its drivers as independent contractors instead of employees. This decision led to many lawsuits and caught the attention of regulators, who argued that drivers deserved employee benefits and protections. Uber’s oversight in not addressing these issues early on nearly disrupted its business model and resulted in expensive legal battles and settlements. This situation highlights why having a proactive legal strategy is crucial to avoid such pitfalls and protect business operations.

Here comes the best part:

Enjoy the Free Advice 💣

So, are you ready to team up with a legal crew that's as forward-thinking as you are?

Let's make sure your legal ducks are in a row so you can keep disrupting, innovating, and succeeding.

We recently entered into cooperation with Schoenherr North Macedonia, to allow our members the benefit of top-notch legal advice.

As a member of The Founder Games community, you will be entitled to a free phone consultation with Schoenherr experts (limited to 15 mins).

If you need legal advice, drop us a line at [email protected], and we will have you scheduled with Schoenherr for your free consultation.

Your startup's future is bright, so let's also ensure it's legally bulletproof!

Who are Schoenherr?

Schoenherr is a full-service law firm with a footprint in Central and Eastern Europe, providing local and international companies with stellar legal advice. Since its establishment, Schoenherr has expanded to over 14 countries, offering unparalleled legal services across Europe.

The Macedonian office is dedicated to supporting the dynamic startup ecosystem, providing essential legal guidance and support.

The office in North Macedonia brings a wealth of legal experience and a personalized approach to startups and businesses in North Macedonia and the wider Balkan region, including:

• Comprehensive Legal Services: Offering a full suite of corporate legal services designed to support startups and growing businesses at every stage.

• Proven Track Record: Extensive experience and a history of successful outcomes ensure reliable and effective legal counsel.

• Client-Centric Approach: Prioritizing clients' goals to protect their interests and drive their success.

If interested, reply to this email now and we’ll set you up a free legal consultation with Schoenherr!

STARTUP NEWS RADAR 📡

_{What’s happening these days?}

• Meta wrapped up its event with a focus on AI and hardware. Zuckerberg revealed Meta AI now has 500 million users, offering chatbot features in select countries with celebrity voices. Key announcements included the Orion AR glasses for holographic interaction, Llama 3.2 AI models for text and images, upgraded Ray-Ban smart glasses, and AI Studio for custom avatars. Meta also launched the Metaquest 3S headset at $299, competing with Apple, while new AI tools in Messenger and WhatsApp aim to improve business support. [source]

• Startup Weekend Skopje is happening from November 1-3, focusing on social innovation. Check out the details and grab your ticket if you're interested. [source]

• It was a busy week for OpenAI as the team released the Advanced Voice mode for ChatGPT and announced the Academy, while CTO Mira Murati and two top executives are leaving the company. Additionally, OpenAI may shift to a for-profit structure in the foreseeable future, with Sam Altman receiving equity for the first time. [source]

• Discord, the popular messaging platform, has announced Discord Activities, its in-app ecosystem for apps and games that invites developers to create, monetize, and distribute their own work using Discord’s Embedded Apps Software Development Kit. [source]

• The Google Cloud Startup Summit will take place virtually on October 8, focusing on putting the latest AI and cloud technologies into action, providing guidance from leading VCs and entrepreneurs, and offering support and special programs to help entrepreneurs accelerate their startup journey. [source]

THE STARTUP VAULT 🗃️

_{Founders take note:}

• Describe your product and generate user stories with Requstory.

• Use Serra to find the best-fit candidates for your company.

• Skott is the world’s first fully private AI marketer.

• Building in e-commerce? Here are the top 5 predictions for the 2024 holiday shopping season.

• Listen to the newest Startup Garage by HalkBank podcast featuring Verica from ChiaDia. 🎧

• Another piece of pitching advice to pay attention to.

*Working on something that fits this category? Reply to this email to be featured.

Hey ChatGPT 🤖

Analyze the current state of <industry> and its trends, challenges, and opportunities, including relevant data and statistics. Provide a list of key players and a short and long-term industry forecast, and explain any potential impact of current events or future developments.

Term of the week 🕵

Freemium is a pricing strategy by which a product or service is provided free of charge, but money is charged for proprietary features, functionality, or virtual goods.

NOTEWORTHY TWEETS 🐦

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