Law + Business + Technology + Capital
Navigate the complexities of Private Equity, Venture Capital and private Mergers and Acquisitions markets, effectively and legally.
The private equity and venture capital landscape is more competitive than ever; deal flow has intensified and competing firms are many and nimble. Regulatory frameworks are dynamic and increasing as our ecosystems continue to grow. The firm helps its clients navigate these complexities in the PE/VC markets and achieve their investment goals.
With a deep understanding and exposure to all the major aspects of India’s venture capital and private equity markets, working with a discerning set of clientele that appreciate our keen understanding of Indian law and our bespoke advice that is anchored firmly in both the law and the realities of doing business – we are Mani Chengappa & Mathur.
The firm supports and assists clients and their portfolio companies with the following legal services:
Fund Formation and Structuring
The firm works very closely with fund sponsors and general partners to navigate the intricate process of structuring and establishing venture capital funds and private equity funds (Category 1 and Category 2 AIFs).
It also provides its clients with advice and documentation that comply with SEBI’s AIF regulations and also meet the investment terms that are acceptable to large LPs (both institutions and family offices) so that the fund documentation reflects an appropriate blend of investor protection, shared rewards and operational flexibility.
The firm also works with family offices as they invest as anchor LPs or significant investors into investment funds to ensure that their interests are protected while optimizing performance of the fund and properly incentivizing the investment management team.
Investment Transactions
Investors and founders/start-ups often instruct the firm on investment transactions ranging from pre-seed to later growth capital rounds. The firm’s experienced lawyers provide the entire spectrum of services from deal structuring to investment realisation which appropriately accommodates regulatory and commercial imperatives.
The services include term sheet drafting to legal due diligence projects to share subscription agreements, share purchase agreements, shareholder agreements, founder employment agreements, reverse vesting escrow arrangements and closing-related support.
All the venture debt matters the firm has been instructed on have been on behalf of companies and entrepreneurs, with India’s leading venture debt funds as the counterparties.
The firm has worked on cross-border transactions where the investee company is located outside of India, especially in the United States of America and Singapore. As a result, the team is familiar with the documents used in these markets such as the NVCA forms used in the US.
Portfolio Company Support
A key capability and offering from the very first days of the firm is the ongoing support to the portfolio companies of our investor clients, ranging from regulatory advisory to go-to-market support and stock compensation structures.
The firm also acts as a sounding board for entrepreneurs as they look to grow and scale their companies. With expertise in addressing global markets from India, mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, and exit strategies, the firm has helped these portfolio companies grow and scale their businesses or find the best exit to unlock value from their businesses.
Private Mergers and Acquisitions
The firm’s private mergers and acquisitions practice advises buyers and sellers across the entire spectrum of private market deal structures, ranging from share purchases to slump sales, specific asset purchases and acquihires. Our M&A practice has close synergies with our PE/VC practice since private M&A is often the preferred exit route for companies who have raised PE/VC investments.
We advise our clients on deal structuring, term sheet preparation and finalisation, due diligence, definitive documentation preparation and finalisation and closing related activities.
