Emerging Companies

Clients of Goodmans' Emerging Companies Group find partners in our lawyers. We work closely alongside founders of emerging technologies, supporting them through the various stages of their company's development — from creation to commercializing their technology. We help founders manage day-to-day challenges, serving as their general commercial and corporate counsel, mentor and advisor.

Our lawyers have deep connections with investors in growth companies, including angel and seed investors, venture capital funds, family offices and strategic investors. Through these relationships, we help founders source adequate funding that enables them to push technological boundaries.

What We Do for Founders

The emerging companies we work with seek our advice across a range of critical areas:

• Financing. We advise on venture capital financings at every stage — from seed rounds through to growth equity — as well as financing from angel investors, family offices and strategic partners. Our lawyers help founders navigate term sheets, investor expectations and deal structures designed for long-term success.
• Corporate Structure and Governance. We get involved early, often before outside investors are at the table. We advise on incorporation, founder equity and vesting arrangements, share class design, option plans and governance mechanics — structuring companies from the outset so they are ready for institutional capital, future rounds and potential exits.
• Strategic Advisory. Our role extends beyond transactional work. We serve as trusted advisors who think several moves ahead — helping founders understand how decisions about board control, dilution, veto rights and IP ownership will affect the company's trajectory over time. We help founders design companies for real outcomes, not just paperwork.
• Mergers and Acquisitions. We represent venture-backed companies on exits and strategic transactions, including sales to strategic acquirers, private equity platforms and public companies.
• Regulatory Matters. We help founders navigate the evolving legal and regulatory landscape that technology companies face as they scale.

Supporting the Canadian Startup Ecosystem

Goodmans is a proud partner of the DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University, a world-leading incubator for tech startups. Our partnership with the DMZ has been active since 2016, and members of our Emerging Companies Group serve as "Legal Counsel in Residence," working on-site with early-stage founders and providing pro bono legal advice and mentorship to some of Canada's most promising startups.

Through the DMZ partnership, our lawyers advise startups on incorporation and structure, founder equity, IP ownership and protection, early financings and investor terms. As companies grow, our involvement evolves — from helping founders avoid early structural mistakes, to advising on growth-stage financings and board formation, to guiding them through exit or liquidity events.

We are also active in the broader startup capital ecosystem. Members of our team serve as mentors in national fellowship and accelerator programs, connecting promising entrepreneurs with senior business leaders and investors across Canada. The firm regularly participates in startup investor events, panels and networking sessions that connect high-growth startups with capital.