Lifecycle of a Technology Company: Step-by-Step Legal Background and Practical Guide from Startup to Sale [Hardcover]

Edwin L. Miller Jr. (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470223928 | ISBN-13: 978-0470223925 | Publication Date: January 9, 2008 | Edition: 1

Praise for Lifecycle of a Technology Company

"Lifecycle of a Technology Company is a comprehensive business and legal handbook for all but the most experienced technology entrepreneurs. I shared my copy with a few colleagues at MIT who have either started or are contemplating launching their own companies, and I had a real problem retrieving it. The data supports my opinion that this book will attain 'handbook' status on the desks of technology entrepreneurs."
-Dr. George B. Kenney, Associate Director Materials Processing & Microphotonics Centers at MIT

"This book will help entrepreneurs avoid the pitfalls on the long road to success for venture-backed technology companies. It distills a lifetime of experience in advising technology companies in a concise and understandable way."
-Howard Berke, Serial Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist

"Lifecycle of a Technology Company provides a valuable resource for lawyers at a variety of experience levels. The junior lawyer will use this resource for the basics. More experienced lawyers with a broad practice will use this for a 'sanity check' relative to market terms and business rationale. In the trenches, it will assist lawyers by providing practical, plain speaking explanations for why things operate as they do in the finance, intellectual property, and merger & acquisition segments of the technology world. If you expect to represent technology clients, keep this book nearby."
-James O'Hare, Partner Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis, Boston

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Founding and nurturing a technology startup through its growth to a successful IPO or sale requires an understanding of the business terms, customary contractual provisions, legal background, tax issues, and "how-to's" applicable to each stage. Legal and business issues are intertwined, and mistakes are costly. Part legal primer, part business primer, Lifecycle of a Technology Company provides comprehensive and understandable advice about the key legal and business issues that arise over the life of an emerging growth company.

This guide is full of practical, hands-on advice for:

• Entrepreneurs and executives who want an in-depth understanding of the legal milieu in which they operate

• Venture capital and other investment professionals who want to better understand the legal rationale behind their investment deals with portfolio companies, as well as key legal issues facing these portfolio companies

• Lawyers who would like to know, or need a refresher on, what they should be discussing with technology companies and other startup clients seeking advice on critical transactions

• International lawyers, entrepreneurs, and investors who want insight into the legal and business aspects of the U.S. technology revolution

• Law students who want to get a jump on real-world business law practice

• Business school students who want to level the playing field for their first encounters with business lawyers

Lifecycle of a Technology Company covers issues relating to:

• Choice of entity

• Arrangements among the founders concerning equity compensation

• Tricks and traps in venture financings and debt financings

• Basics of intellectual property protec-tion and license agreements

• How to conduct a private placement

• How to prepare for an IPO

• Fundamentals of public company regulation

• The acquisition process and key nego-tiating points for buyers and sellers

Appendices include model or sample documents for a number of common trans-actions, as well as additional materials.

A must-read for anyone associated with a technology company, from entrepreneurs and CEOs and CFOs to venture capitalists, as well as their legal and professional advisors, Lifecycle of a Technology Company will guide readers through the many challenges, opportunities, and legal and business pitfalls that arise at every stage of their business.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Lifecycle of a Technology Company

"Lifecycle of a Technology Company is a comprehensive business and legal handbook for all but the most experienced technology entrepreneurs. I shared my copy with a few colleagues at MIT who have either started or are contemplating launching their own companies, and I had a real problem retrieving it. The data supports my opinion that this book will attain 'handbook' status on the desks of technology entrepreneurs."
—Dr. George B. Kenney, Associate Director Materials Processing & Microphotonics Centers at MIT

"This book will help entrepreneurs avoid the pitfalls on the long road to success for venture-backed technology companies. It distills a lifetime of experience in advising technology companies in a concise and understandable way."
—Howard Berke, Serial Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist

"Lifecycle of a Technology Company provides a valuable resource for lawyers at a variety of experience levels. The junior lawyer will use this resource for the basics. More experienced lawyers with a broad practice will use this for a 'sanity check' relative to market terms and business rationale. In the trenches, it will assist lawyers by providing practical, plain speaking explanations for why things operate as they do in the finance, intellectual property, and merger & acquisition segments of the technology world. If you expect to represent technology clients, keep this book nearby."
—James O'Hare, Partner Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis, Boston

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (January 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470223928
• ISBN-13: 978-0470223925
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,055,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oustanding Resource and Guide, February 1, 2008

By 

Steven B. Sikes (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lifecycle of a Technology Company: Step-by-Step Legal Background and Practical Guide from Startup to Sale (Hardcover)

This book should be required reading for anyone and everyone who wish to start a tech company. Concise, informative, illuminating - an excellent resource for those navigating the challenging waters of launching a tech company. Mr. Miller's book saved me and my team valuable time as we went through the various steps of our company's journey - formation, Intellectual property, licensing, valuation, funding, stock options, partnering, and many more. Best book and most current - in this area -on the market!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding resource for venture funded organizations, June 20, 2008

By 

Louis W. Hruska - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lifecycle of a Technology Company: Step-by-Step Legal Background and Practical Guide from Startup to Sale (Hardcover)

Miller's book is a comprehensive source of excellent advice for founders, technology executives and venture investors. Using a detailed but very readable style, this book brings together the wide range of topics relevant to a tech startup and covers each one thoroughly. Most importantly, it describes the interconnections between those topics that are unique to early stage companies, recommends actions, and provides the logic behind the recommendation. As a former CTO and CEO of venture backed tech startups, I would suggest that every early stage company exec would benefit from having this book as a resource.

Louis Hruska, Founder and CTO PowerSmart, CEO Akermin Inc.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for all Entrepreneurs, March 4, 2008

By 

A. Huber (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lifecycle of a Technology Company: Step-by-Step Legal Background and Practical Guide from Startup to Sale (Hardcover)

As an attorney who has worked with start-ups I found this book to be an incredibly valuable resource and suggest that anyone looking to start a technology company read it because it provides a roadmap to all of the business and legal issues that you will face when launching your technology company. From formation to funding to IPO or sale, Mr. Miller breaks down the issues that you will face in a clear and concise way, providing insight into all sides of an issue. I highly recommend it!