Essential reading for all legal topics affecting startups. For founders: to make informed important decisions and avoid consequential mistakes. Experiences from years of consulting work are clearly summarized. An overview of all legal areas: from choosing the legal form, drafting the articles of association, protecting trademarks and technologies, to financing options and the duties of the managing director. High practical benefit through suggestions for contract formulations, sample texts, and checklists.

Startups face many legal questions in their early years. It is extremely important for the success of the business that founders keep legal matters in view, categorize them, and thus avoid significant misjudgments. By adequately preparing for meetings with lawyers and notaries, founders can also save real money.

Jan Schnedler, a lawyer in Hamburg, has been advising startups on all relevant issues for many years. In this practical guide, he summarizes his experiences in a language that is understandable for non-lawyers.

The book covers all relevant legal questions: from choosing the right legal form, drafting the articles of association, to startup financing through bootstrapping, family/fools/friends, business angels, venture capital, crowdfunding, and government grants, as well as the duties of a managing director, important facts regarding employee hiring, and much more.

The expanded and continuously updated second edition addresses the latest developments in all areas of law and clarifies typical deal breakers as well as the 10 most common mistakes made by startups.