New Ventures Spotlight: Daniel Criswell
Daniel is a managing associate in the Corporate Transactions & Securities and New Ventures practices. Daniel counsels emerging companies and venture capital funds on a broad range of matters, including governance, day-to-day operations, and investment transactions. While proudly rooted in Ohio’s growing entrepreneurial community, Daniel works with clients coast to coast. Daniel has deep experience in venture financings and regularly represents early-stage companies and venture capital funds in convertible note, SAFE, and preferred equity deals. He is committed to helping startups and VC funds achieve their vision and focuses on building long-term relationships grounded in trust, responsiveness, and a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem.
Honoring a Legacy: Sig Mosley’s Impact on Southeast Venture
Thompson Hine is proud to sponsor the upcoming celebration of Sig Mosley, hosted by TiE Atlanta and Zane Venture Fund on April 29 at SCADshow. Sig's pivotal role in the landmark $5.6 billion Tradex-Ariba acquisition in 1999-2000 helped position Atlanta as a major tech hub. This milestone event will honor his legacy and discuss strategies to further elevate Atlanta as a leading U.S. tech hub, bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders for an evening of networking and forward-thinking conversations.
Startups Streamlined – Next Stop: Cleveland – May 7
Cleveland’s startup ecosystem is on the rise, fueled by a growing network of entrepreneurs, investors, and accelerators. The region is home to a thriving healthcare and biotech sector, a strong manufacturing base embracing innovation, and an increasing number of venture capital firms supporting early-stage companies. But what does it take for startups to succeed in this evolving landscape? Join Thompson Hine for the next Startups Streamlined, our quarterly in-person seminar series designed to explore key trends and challenges in the startup world. This session will bring together founders, investors, and industry leaders to discuss the opportunities and hurdles facing startups in Cleveland and beyond. The conversation will be moderated by Lindsay Karas Stencel, Partner at Thompson Hine, and features insights from Hardik Desai, Managing Partner at JumpStart Ventures; Ben Wallace, President of QStart Labs; and Thompson Hine attorneys Sean Ganley and Ashley Bailes. Register here.
Thompson Hine Recognized at Legalweek Tech Awards in NYC
Last month, we celebrated Thompson Hine’s two nominations at the prestigious Legalweek Tech Awards in New York City. Lindsay Karas Stencel and fellow team members Tony White and Bill Garcia represented the firm at the event, where our New Ventures practice was nominated for the “Enabling Startup Success” award, recognizing our innovative QuickLaunch products that help startups launch quickly and cost-effectively. Additionally, Matt Coatney was nominated for “Significant Advancement in Technology” for his impactful contributions to legal tech innovation. The Legalweek Tech Awards honor excellence in technology and innovation across law firms and in-house legal teams, and we’re proud to be recognized among the best in the industry. Kudos to the entire team for pushing boundaries and driving innovation forward!
Recap: Startup Weekend Dayton
Earlier this month, Startup Weekend Dayton, sponsored by Techstars, brought together an inspiring group of entrepreneurs, mentors, and community leaders for a high-energy weekend of innovation and collaboration. Lindsay Karas Stencel joined 11 other mentors to support participating teams throughout the event, diving into everything from refining customer discovery strategies to tackling complex legal questions around business structures. It was incredible to watch the teams grow and come together as the weekend progressed—turning initial ideas into viable ventures in just 54 hours! A huge shoutout to the fantastic team at The Hub for making it all happen.
Industry Insights: Founders, Prepare for the Long Game
Venture-backed success rarely happens overnight. While a lucky few raise quickly—13.9% of Series C companies were under four years old—many spend close to a decade building momentum, with 22% over nine years old. The trend is clear: scaling takes time, and most founders endure years of uncertainty before gaining traction.
A few key takeaways:
- The journey often starts years before a priced equity round.
- Even startups that don’t succeed can tie up founders for years.
- The IPO slowdown and rise of private capital have extended the private lifecycle.
- M&A remains a strong exit path, especially around Series A.
- AI is bending timelines—some scale fast, while others grow lean and steady.
Startups are marathons, not sprints. As Paul Graham once said, “The surest route to success is to be the cockroach of the corporate world.”
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.