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Impact of intellectual property on M&A transactions in Bulgaria and beyond
Unlocking the value of intellectual property (IP) Hardly anyone could argue against the constantly increasing importance of IP to companies. IP not only affects the business models of companies but also brings additional value to the table (e.g., in addition to its client list and personnel, a target offers proprietary software solutions facilitating and supplementing the company’s normal business activities). This is true not only for the “usual suspects” such as technology companies, FinTech startups, gaming studios, and pharmaceutical companies, but also for companies previously not so heavily dependent on IP assets, such as financial institutions, insurance companies, and retailers. Because of the above, in recent years
EUIPO offers SMEs trade mark and design grants of up to EUR 1,350
The European Commission and European Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”) have launched a small and medium sized business fund (SME Fund) to provide reimbursement for trademark and design application fees and pre diagnostic services. The grant scheme, designed to encourage SMEs to expand their IP portfolios, has a budget of EUR 25 million, available on a first come, first serve basis. The submission period for applications runs from 23 January to 8 December 2023. Read more in the brochure below: Download in English: In case of any questions with respect to the above, our specialists
Unpacking the European Parliament’s Recent Resolution on Online Video Games
Last week, the European Parliament (“EP”) adopted a resolution on online video games (the “Resolution”) . In essence, the Resolution calls for strong enforcement of consumer protection rules in the video game industry, requires stricter regulation of loot boxes and emphasizes the enormous potential of the gaming sector. Download in English: In case of any questions with respect to the above, our specialists are standing by to offer guidance and counsel.
Kinstellar advises Kinnevik on its USD 185 million investment into Mews Systems
Kinstellar M&A and TMT specialists in the Czech Republic have successfully advised Swedish company Kinnevik Online AB on its investment into Mews Systems as part of a USD 185 million Series C financing round, which gives the company a post-financing valuation of USD 865 million. The Series C round was co-led by Kinnevik and the growth equity business within Goldman Sachs Asset Management and also included new backers Revaia, Derive Ventures and Orbit Capital, as well as previous investors Battery Ventures, Notion Capital, Thayer Ventures and henQ. Based in Prague and Amsterdam, Mews operates a leading property management and payments system designed to simplify and automate operations for modern hotels and
Žurić i Partneri (ŽiP) Kinstellar advises on the acquisition of Insite by Halcom
Our team in Croatia has advised former shareholders of Insite on the sale of shares to Halcom, a leading provider of innovative solutions for payment systems. Insite is an experienced and innovative supplier of CRM systems to the banking, insurance, and retail sectors. Their CRM solution has been successfully recognised for ten years by some of the largest European banks and retailers. Halcom, as a division of Juniper Group, is part of the multinational group Constellation Software Inc. Halcom plays a leading role in developing payment systems in Central and South-Eastern Europe and ranks among the top providers of innovative and secure payment and financial services. The Kinstellar team in Zagreb
Kinstellar appoints new Service and Sector Heads
Kinstellar supports professional growth by offering a broad range of career development opportunities for our team including Sector/Service line head or co-head roles. We provide growth opportunities to all of our talented lawyers with relevant experience and who have an outstanding track record. We believe in an inclusive recruitment process where we create an equitable application, interview and selection process. We are delighted to announce the appointments of the following sector and service line heads: Müfit Arapoğlu, a Partner in the Istanbul office, is the firm-wide Financial Institutions (non-transactional) Sector Co-Head and the firm-wide Head of Banking, Finance & Capital Markets (service line).
Žurić i Partneri (ŽiP) Kinstellar advises Robin Powered on the acquisition of Flow and Form
Our team in Croatia has advised Robin Powered on the acquisition of Flow and Form, one of Central Europe’s 50 fastest-growing technology companies, known for delivering high-quality, cutting-edge solutions to the real estate technology industry. Over the course of just a few years, Flow and Form has created more than USD 1 billion of new market value and became one of the world leaders in developing innovative solutions for the workspace and real estate software industry. The purchase of Flow and Form gives Robin Powered a new international footprint, a team focused on innovation with proven experience building digital platforms to bridge the gap between in-person and virtual work, and a platform to further grow Robin’s
Kinstellar expands its Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) service line in the Czech Republic
Kinstellar is pleased to announce that Petr Bratský has joined the firm’s Prague office as Head of the local TMT sector and service line. His addition to the firm strengthens our expertise in the TMT area. Petr is an expert in IP/IT/Media and Telecommunications. Before joining Kinstellar, Petr worked more than five years at the leading Czech law firm Havel & Partners. In his practice, he focuses primarily on technology, intellectual property, media and film law and legislative advice. Petr also provides strategic and ad hoc compliance advice on the handling of personal data in various commercial sectors. His expertise includes advising major local and international clients from across different industries
Kuanysh Shekerbekov participates in a panel discussion in connection with the official presentation of the “VC Guide for Founders”
Kuanysh Shekerbekov, Managing Associate of Kinstellar’s Almaty office, participated as a speaker in a panel discussion in connection with the official presentation of the “VC Guide for Founders”. The event took place on 8 April 2022 and was organised by The AIFC Tech Hub, a subdivision of the "Astana" International Financial Center (AIFC), which has the task of promoting the development of the start-up ecosystem, the venture industry, e-commerce, corporate innovation and new technological directions in Kazakhstan (FinTech, GovTech, SatelliteTech, Industry 4.0. etc.). The purpose of the guide is to provide a clear understanding of the opportunities and advantages of the AIFC for structuring venture transactions and
Ukraine: Temporary lifting of requirements for Diia City residents
At the beginning of 2022, a special legal and tax regime for Ukraine-registered tech companies called Diia City became fully operational [for more details please see our overview of the Diia City regime]. Ukrainian tech companies are required to comply with a number of requirements to become Diia City residents and maintain their residency. Due to the introduction of martial law in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has temporarily lifted a number of requirements. Download in English: Download in Ukrainian: For more information, please contact: Illya
Overview of virtual asset regulation in Ukraine
The crypto business has grown exponentially in recent years. Ukraine is no exception to this global trend, as local businesses are also at the forefront of crypto products and innovations (DeFi, NFTs, the metaverse and Web 3.0). However, legal uncertainty in Ukraine has created risks for the sustainable development of the local crypto industry and the investments of conventional business in digital assets. This legal uncertainty has been addressed by the recently adopted legislation, which sets out a regulatory framework to minimise the risk and exposure of digital businesses in Ukraine. Although some provisions are framework in nature and secondary legislation is required, we believe that this new legislation will
Kinstellar advises Vista Equity Partners on its acquisition of Citrix Systems
Kinstellar has successfully advised Vista Equity Partners, a leading global investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled businesses, on its acquisition of Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS) for approximately USD 16.5 billion. Citrix builds secure, unified digital workspace technologies that help organizations unlock human potential and deliver a consistent workspace experience wherever work needs to get done. Kinstellar advised with respect to the Czech subsidiary of Citrix Systems, Inc., Citrix Systems Czech Republic s.r.o., on the due diligence and regulatory issues. Kinstellar also provided a detailed foreign direct investment (FDI) analysis for the envisaged acquisition.