New Ventures Spotlight: Julie Valdes
Julie is a managing associate in the Intellectual Property practice group, dedicated to helping clients protect and grow their brands. She brings a wealth of experience in trademark counseling and litigation, guiding early-stage companies through the unique challenges of building and safeguarding their intellectual property from day one. Julie partners with founders to conduct trademark clearance searches, file and prosecute trademark applications, and represent clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She proactively monitors the marketplace for potential infringements and drafts contracts that safeguard IP in critical business relationships. Julie also assists with copyright registrations and manages both domestic and international IP portfolios, helping startups scale their protections as they expand.
Understanding the fast-paced, resource-conscious environment of startups, Julie tailors her advice to align IP strategy with each client’s business goals—whether launching a new product, seeking investment, or preparing for acquisition. Her practical advice empowers founders to make informed trademark decisions and build strategies for acquiring, enforcing, and commercializing their IP—maximizing the value of their innovations and brands.
Expanded QSBS Benefits Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Written by: Alexis Kim
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. Law 119-21), signed into law on July 4, 2025, expanded the potential tax benefits for sales of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) under Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If certain requirements are met, Section 1202 allows noncorporate shareholders who sell QSBS to exclude some or all of their gain from gross income, potentially realizing a significant tax savings.
Startup venture investors and early-stage business owners may benefit from the expanded Section 1202 gain exclusion for newly issued stock. The expansion is expected to renew interest in C corporations among investors seeking to take advantage of these provisions. Notably, the changes do not modify the tax benefits available for QSBS that were issued on or before the enactment date of the Act. Read full article.
TechChicago Capital Summit Showcases Innovation & Investor Synergy
The 2025 TechChicago Capital Summit, powered by P33, brought together over 600 founders, investors, and innovators to accelerate capital access and collaboration across the Midwest. As a proud sponsor, Thompson Hine contributed to the day’s robust programming with a practical legal workshop, “Built to Last: Getting Equity, Governance & Your Early Team Right,” led by partner Aisling O’Laoire. From student-led pitch competitions and live podcast recordings to LP panels and growth-stage founder sessions, the event showcased the strength and diversity of Chicago’s evolving tech ecosystem. Attendees walked away with fresh insights into market trends, dealmaking, and long-term startup scalability. High-energy networking closed the summit, underscoring why TechChicago Week continues as a national hub for venture and innovation.
Celebrating a Decade of Impact: Endeavor Detroit's 10-Year Anniversary
We are proud to sponsor Endeavor’s 10-Year Anniversary Celebration on September 17, hosted in partnership with Crain’s Detroit during Detroit Homecoming Week. This milestone event will gather founders, funders, and ecosystem builders to reflect on a decade of impact and share bold visions for the future of entrepreneurship in Michigan and beyond.
The day will feature dynamic keynotes and panels with leading voices from Detroit’s innovation economy—including pioneers in health tech, consumer brands, and generative AI—followed by a rooftop networking reception and an exclusive welcome dinner for Endeavor’s National Selection Panel guests. We’re honored to support Endeavor’s mission to scale high-impact entrepreneurs and drive inclusive economic growth throughout the region.
Proud Sponsor of the 2025 Southeast Investor Conference in Atlanta
We are pleased to sponsor the 2025 Southeast Investor Conference, presented by Keiretsu Forum South-East, the Angel Capital Association (ACA), and Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) in Atlanta. This premier gathering of accredited investors, venture funds, and startup ecosystem leaders will focus on navigating the evolving post-pandemic investment landscape. The two-day event will feature curated pitch presentations from high-growth startups, investor roundtables, and insights from national thought leaders in health care, fintech, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and more. We are proud to support this collaborative effort to connect capital with innovation and elevate early-stage investing across the Southeast.
Industry Insights: Founders – 2025 on Track to Break Startup M&A Records
Startup acquisition activity surged in the first half of 2025, putting the year on pace to set new records for M&A involving Carta-backed startups. To date, 126 companies that raised between $1M–$10M, 100 companies with $10M–$50M, and 48 with $50M+ have been acquired. Acquirers range from private equity firms and Big Tech to other startups, signaling strong interest across the board. While not every exit produces a windfall for founders or employees (especially when investor preferences take priority), 2025 deals appear to be more favorable than those in 2023–2024, thanks to leaner operations and stronger financial discipline among startups. Overall, this uptick in M&A is a positive sign for the ecosystem, potentially returning capital to investors and fueling future venture activity.
***Data provided by Carta Insights
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.