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New Ventures Strategic Partner Spotlight: Aisling S. O'Laoire

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Thompson Hine LLP is pleased to announce Aisling S. O’Laoire has been elected to the firm's partnership. Aisling is a member of the New Ventures practice group in Chicago, focusing her practice on advising small businesses, startups and growth-stage companies on business operations and transactional matters. She received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, and her B.A. from DePaul University, cum laude. O'Laoire has been recognized for her contributions to the thriving startup ecosystem in Chicago. Congratulations, Aisling!

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Chicago: Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon 2025 – January 31

In today’s fast-paced world, success isn’t just about launching—it’s about lasting. SeedCon 2025 will explore what it takes to build purpose-driven businesses designed for long-term impact and resilience. This year’s event brings together visionary entrepreneurs, insightful investors, and experienced operators to discuss strategies for sustainable growth, strong unit economics, and enduring business models. Join us on January 31, 2025, at the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago for an inspiring day of insights and connections. Several members of our team, including Aisling O’Laoire, will be attending—<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/aisling-o-laoire-97211a9/">let’s connect</a> if you’ll be there!

Save the Date: Startups Streamlined – February 27

Last year’s quarterly Startup Streamlined events were a resounding success, and we’re excited to bring them back in 2025! Our first stop is Atlanta on February 27, where we’ll dive into the heart of one of the nation’s most dynamic startup ecosystems. Atlanta continues thriving as a diverse and innovative hub, excelling in industries like fintech, health tech, logistics, and sustainability. With strong access to capital, a robust talent pipeline from leading universities, and a commitment to inclusivity, the city remains a magnet for entrepreneurs and investors. Join us as we explore key industry developments and pressing issues shaping the landscape for startups, founders, and venture capital investors. Contact <a href="mailto:Elise.Hoffer@ThompsonHine.com?subject=Atlanta Startups Streamlined">Elise.Hoffer@ThompsonHine.com</a> to RSVP or learn more.

PRIVATE EQUITY: The NFL Dips Its Cleats into Pooled Investment Vehicles

By Lindsay Karas Stencel and Imani Tibbs Boone

Last August, the National Football League approved new ownership rules that allow private equity funds to purchase minority stakes in NFL franchises. Private equity firms are particularly attracted to professional sports investments because of the steady growth in team valuations, maxed-out media rights deals, and the unwavering popularity of sports across the globe. <a href="https://www.thompsonhine.com/insights/the-nfl-dips-its-cleats-into-pooled-investment-vehicles/">Read more</a>.

While headlines often spotlight billion-dollar deals, nearly half of startup M&amp;A involves pre-seed and seed-stage companies. These smaller acquisitions—acquihires, tuck-ins, bolt-ons—may seem modest but can represent significant wins for founders and their teams.  M&amp;A activity rose 13% year-over-year, though actual wealth created remains uncertain, given prior overvaluations in the VC landscape. Still, with momentum building, 2025 could be a standout year, with more M&amp;A, secondary transactions, and perhaps a few notable IPOs on the horizon. (***Data provided by <a href="https://carta.com/data/state-of-private-markets-q1-2024/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=blast&amp;utm_campaign=20240516-amer-general-data_newsletter&amp;utm_content=&amp;mkt_tok=MjE0LUJURC0xMDMAAAGTIg2qCK8oufnoEIkdOMw9HdIa0AiSF8oyKb4d4PDhUo5VsQDW2KNg9XcS4Cp3GSSffPzaOv3eiI3Bt0IE4Bbx1WW44YiG5txpRyI3Dn4y8eoulys9FrmTsDmAHQ#key-trends" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carta Insights</a>)

QuickLaunch: Experienced Guidance for Startups and Investors

Our QuickLaunch program is tailored to entrepreneurs, startups and investors, providing guidance on growth and funding cycles and offering cost-effective counsel on day-to-day legal matters from formation to funding to exits. Our seasoned team helps navigate the confusing waters of growth, funding, expansion and those tricky legal issues that can arise, often at fixed or budgeted pricing by using our firmwide proprietary SmartPaTH™ tool. To learn more about our tailored, value-enhancing solutions, please visit our site.

New Ventures Update – January 2025