Lindsay Karas Stencel
Partner
Columbus Co-Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative
Lindsay is a partner in the firm’s New Ventures practice. She advises entrepreneurs, investors and fund managers on venture capital and startup matters, venture capital fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, federal and state securities filings and compliance, including public and private securities offerings, and corporate organization and governance matters.
Prior to joining Thompson Hine, Lindsay served as a partner and chief legal counsel at a Midwest-focused venture capital firm that invests in pre-seed, seed early stage and growth stage technology companies serving several industries. There, her efforts primarily focused on deal structuring, portfolio management, limited partner relations, fundraising and exit transactions.
Simultaneously, she ran her own private practice representing emerging and diverse venture fund managers across the country, startup clients and founders, investors, and small businesses, assisting with venture fund formation and strategy, strategic deal formation, unique deal structuring and other corporate legal matters.
She also acquired significant experience while serving as Chief Operating Officer and Fund Manager, and subsequently Chief Investment Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Managing Partner for a venture development organization in upstate New York, where she led that firm to have one of the most active seed funds in the country and spearheaded the formation and development of the largest seed fund in the history of the area.
Lindsay’s unique blend of legal, fundraising and operational experience as a founder and venture capitalist provides her with the ability to acutely understand the issues facing her venture and startup clients. She understands firsthand the matters most important to her clients and can creatively solve problems and efficiently design solutions to rapidly close transactions for investors and entrepreneurs alike.
Lindsay teaches “Venture Capital and Dealmaking” at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where she also frequently guest lectures on contract drafting and preferred securities issuances. She also owns her own fitness facility. Lindsay is a national speaker on topics of women and diversity and inclusion in finance, venture capital, venture capital deal structuring and startup investing.
For more information, visit www.thquicklaunch.com.
Lindsay’s vast venture capital, startup and operational experience includes:
- Venture capital fund formation and structuring for numerous established and emerging funds across the U.S.
- SBIC fund formation
- Drafting, negotiation and oversight of over 1000 investor-side and company-side startup financings
- Oversight of state and federal compliance programs for venture capital funds across the U.S.
- Drafting, management and oversight of M&A transactions for venture capital funds throughout the Northeast and Midwest, including acquisitions of portfolio companies by Fortune 25 Companies
- As an investor, led the most active seed fund in the state of New York and one of the most active in the country
- Established fund investment policies and guidelines
- Has overseen hundreds of due diligence processes for investors and startup companies
- Co-founded a women-focused venture capital firm
- Co-founded an LGBTQ+ venture capital firm
- "Employee and Contractor Classification - Rules of the Road," Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, May 2022
- "Startup Building Blocks: Allocating Equity, Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, April 2022
- "New Ventures Group Sees Marked Growth," Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, February 2022
- “Serving Underserved Populations and Markets Proves Key to Maximizing SSBCI Capital,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Winter 2022
- "Immense Deal and Transactional Volume," Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, January 2022
- “Business Certification: Good Business for Small Business,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Fall 2021
- "Midwest Venture Capital is Booming & Thompson Hine is at the Heart of It, Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, December 2021
- "A 50-Year-Old Venture Capital Model Reinvented," Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, November 2021
- “Underserved Capital Markets to Receive a Major Boost with $10 Billion in Federal Stimulus Capital,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Summer 2021
- “Chaos to Cohesion: Dramatic Improvements and Clarity Brought to Private Placement Regulation,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Winter 2021
- “Delaware Annual Reports/Franchise Tax Returns Due Soon,” Thompson Hine Early Stage & Emerging Companies Update, January 2021
- “Volcker Rule's VC Changes Will Support Underserved Regions,” Law360, October 2020
- “Turning the Heat Back on in Venture Capital Investing,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Fall 2020
- “Managers and Controllers Owe Fiduciary Duties to LLC Members and Limited Partners – What Does That Mean for Fund General Partners Moving Forward?” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Summer 2020
- “Volcker Rule Changes Will Expand Banks’ Investment Abilities,” Thompson Hine Investment Management Update, July 2020
- “SBA Issues Updated PPP Loan Forgiveness Applications and Additional Clarifications,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, June 24, 2020
- “PPP Flexibility Act Becomes Effective, Modifying Options for Borrowers and Providing Additional Benefits,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, June 5, 2020
- “SBA Releases New Rules on PPP Loan Forgiveness and SBA Review Process,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, May 27, 2020
- “SBA Releases PPP Loan Forgiveness Application and Related Instructions,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, May 19, 2020
- “SEC Proposes Rule Changes to Crowdfunding Regulations,” Thompson Hine Business Law Update, Spring 2020
- Contributor, “How to Make It: Advice from Four Women Who Never Let the Challenges Stop Them,” ColumbusCEO, August 2019
- Co-presenter, "Crypto & the Regulatory Landscape: What You Need to Know," Thompson Hine Startups Streamlined Podcast Series, June 2022
- Co-presenter, "Copyright & Trademark: What You Need To Know," Thompson Hine Startups Streamlined Podcast Series, May 2022
- Co-presenter, "Employment Law Update for Startups," Thompson Hine Startups Streamlined Podcast Series, April 2022
- Co-presenter, "Potential CFIUS Issues When Taking on Foreign Capital," Thompson Hine Startups Streamlined Podcast Series, March 2022
- Rev1 Customer Learning Lab: Ask an Expert Panelist, May 2021
- National Association of Women Lawyers: Women in Startups: SPAC & Exit Planning Panelist, May 2021
- CLE Instruction through Westlaw: Demystifying Venture Fund Formation, May 2021
- Guest Lecturer at Fisher College of Business at THE Ohio State University Entrepreneurship Class, April 2021
- Connecting the Coasts to the Heartland – presentation on OHIO VC scene, April 2021
- Guest Lecturer: Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic, March 2021
- Guest Speaker: Home Depot Digital New Products Group: Nailing the Pitch, February 2021
- Panelist, Upstate Capital Association, Investing & Well-Being Panel, January 2021
- Invest New York: Health & Wellbeing Investor Perspectives Panel Discussion through Upstate Capital Association, January 2021
- Keynote Speaker for NAWBO Annual Awards: BOLDly Taking Control of Your Life, January 2021
- “Ask the Expert,” REV1 Client Orientation, December 2020
- Webinar “Unlocking the Mysteries of IP and Venture Capital,” CLE taught with Roger Bora, December 2020
- Innovate New Albany “Ask the Expert Panel,” December 2020
- Launch New York Annual Meeting Presentation “Current State of Affairs in Seed Investing,” November 2020
- Ohio Wesleyan “Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital: Getting Started,” November 2020
- State of Venture in Ohio, Annual Tiger Talk at Innovate New Albany, October 2020
- Rev1 Ventures, Capital Access Learning Lab – Cap Table Management, October 2020
- Rev1Ventures: Ask the Expert Panel, October 2020
- Guest Lecturer at Ohio State Fisher College of Business Entrepreneurship Class, October 2020
- Rev1Ventures, Capital Access Learning Lab – Cap Table Management, October 2020
- Venture for America: Columbus as the Next Major VC Hub, October 2020
- TechStars Buffalo, Startup Week “Don’t Burn Out Before You’ve Started: Avoiding founder burnout,” October 2020
- Real Estate and VC Funding panel discussion with the Columbus Investment Club, September 2020
- Michael Redd’s Podcast, Betting on Yourself – “Shatter the Glass Ceiling,” September 2020
- Guest Lecturer at Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic, The Ohio State University, September 2020
- SEA Change 2020 Signature Cohort Panel: “Startup Funding Options,” September 2020
- “Asking for What You Want…And Getting It!”, Westerville Chamber of Commerce, July 2020
- “Moving Past Seed Funding” Launch NY LP Summit June 2020
- Second Annual VentureOut: Expert Panelist, June 2020
- Entrepreneurial Resiliency Series, Strategy & Finance, June 2020
- “What VCs Are Thinking Now: A COVID Edition,” Innovate New Albany, May 15, 2020
- “Being Lindsay," Keynote Address to 500+ virtual attendees of Venture NY and the New York Business Plan Competition, April 30, 2020
- “Navigating the CARES Act,” Book+Street, April 2020
- “Conquering Columbus,” Podcast 183, December 2019
- “All You Need is a Seed: Startup Up Funding 101” Latitude 43North Podcast
- “State of Venture in Ohio,” Innovate New Albany, 2019
- Keynote Speaker, “Venture Capital in the Midwest,” Business Law Institute, Ohio Bar Association, 2019
- “Money, Power, Respect are the Key to Deals,” Columbus Startup Week, 2019
- Speaker, “Exploring What’s New in Alternative Investments and Private Placements,” Ohio Securities Conference, 2019
- “How to Deal with Power Plays; Winning the Meta Negotiation” with Kwame Christian, Esq., September 2019
- “Intentionally Investing in and Supporting Female Founders,” September 2019
- “Investing in Startups: A Deep Dive for Accredited Investors,” September 2019
- “Articulating Your Growth Story to Investors,” London Stock Exchange Group at Ohio University, June 2019
- “How to Finance Your Startup,” SelectUSA Investment Summit, Washington, D.C., June 2019
- “Women, Money & Tech,” Ithaca, NY through Upstate Capital Association, March 2019
- Recipient of Thompson Hine’s Diversity Champion Award, 2021
- Selected for inclusion in Columbus CEO Future 50 class of 2021
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021, 2022 for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Selected for inclusion in Columbus Business First 40 under 40 class of 2020
- 2020 NVCA American Spirit Award Nominee
- 2019 Upstate Capital Investor of the Year
- 2019 Upstate Venture Connect Community Catalyst Award
- 2018 Upstate Capital Early Stage Dealmaker of the Year
- 2018 Upstate Venture Connect Community Catalyst Award Nominee
- 2017 Upstate Capital Early Stage Dealmaker of the Year Nominee
- 2016 “20 People to Know in Finance in Columbus, OH” Columbus Business First
- 2016 Named “5 of Ohio’s Most Trailblazing Attorneys,” Ohio Bar Association
Professional Associations
- Adjunct Professor, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 2019-present
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Michigan Bar Association
- New York Bar Association
- Upstate Capital Association, Board Member
- Chairwoman, Venture NY Startup Selection Committee
- Board of Directors, Data Inventions, Inc.
- Board of Directors, Small Biz Cares, Inc.
Thompson Hine Presents Diversity Awards to Nationwide’s Marilyn McClure-Demers and Firm Partner Lindsay Karas StencelThompson Hine LLP
January 10, 2022
Business Certification: Good Business for Small BusinessThompson Hine Business Law Update
November 30, 2021
Why Sequoia Is Blowing Up a 50-Year-Old Financing ModelPitchBook Data
October 27, 2021
Volcker Rule's VC Changes Will Support Underserved RegionsLaw360
October 29, 2020
Lindsay Karas Stencel brings enthusiasm and flair to Thompson HineColumbus CEO
May 28, 2020
Thompson Hine Hires Leading Venture Capitalist in Midwest - Lindsay Karas Stencel Joins as a Partner
March 02, 2020
Startups Streamlined – Crypto & the Regulatory Landscape: What You Need to Know
June 21, 2022
Startups Streamlined – Copyright & Trademark: What You Need To Know
May 24, 2022
Startups Streamlined - Employment Law Update for Startups
April 26, 2022
Startups Streamlined - Potential CFIUS Issues When Taking on Foreign Capital
March 22, 2022