FORM+FUND is Berkeley Law’s free workshop series for Berkeley-affiliated entrepreneurs. Now in its seventh year, FORM+FUND teaches the core legal, financial, and organizational aspects of starting and scaling a venture-backed business. Sessions are taught by leading Silicon Valley attorneys, entrepreneurs, and/or venture capitalists. FORM+FUND Fellows also have optional office hours with startup attorneys from SPZ Legal. Participation in the FORM+FUND Fellowship and workshops is by application only.
→ The application for the Fall 2023 Cohort of FORM+FUND is closed. This year’s cohort is full. Sign up for the FORM+FUND email list for more information about the Berkeley startup community and to be notified when registration opens for the next cohort.
FORM+FUND workshops run in-person at the Bakar BioEnginuity Hub in Berkeley. There are no virtual options or auditing available for this cohort. Seats for the Workshops are limited to those in the FORM+FUND fellowship. There is no auditing of workshops.
Fall 2023 In-Person Workshop Schedule (Currently Subject to Change)
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Taught by Robert Bartlett (Professor of Law at Stanford Law School) |
5:30 to 7:30 PM PT
Learn the basics of founders stock and founder financing, the key terms you should know, and what a “typical” process looks like when raising money from investors.
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Taught by Robert Bartlett (Professor of Law at Stanford Law School) |
5:30 to 7:30 PM PT
Employment and Human Resources provides an overview of common human resources and employment law issues facing early-stage startups.
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Taught by Alexandra Stathopoulos (Senior Associate at Orrick) and Tierra Piens (Managing Associate at Orrick) |
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM PT
Learn about the types of intellectual property, methods, and strategies for protecting IP that founders should be aware of at the formation of a startup. Also learn about common pitfalls to avoid related to ownership, business restrictions, and open source.
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Taught by Lee Van Pelt (Partner at Van Pelt, Yi & James) |
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM PT
Participants will learn about the key venture capital terms and processes related to raising money and venture finance in a priced round of financing (i.e., Series A) and convertible round of financing (i.e., Seed or Angel).
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Taught by Nadia Dugal (Co-Founder at Tome) |
5:30 to 7:30 PM PT (please note this is a Wednesday class)
Participants will learn how to build a cap table and the impact that the terms agreed on in a Series A and Seed or Angel round will have on their own ownership.
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Taught by Adam Sterling (Assistant Dean for Executive Education and Revenue Generation) |
5:.30 to 7:30 PM PT
Participants will learn how to build a cap table and the impact that the terms agreed on in a Series A and Seed or Angel round will have on their own ownership.
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Taught by Adam Sterling (Assistant Dean for Executive Education and Revenue Generation) |
5:30 to 7:30 PM PT
This session on due diligence will provide founders with an understanding of the process, timing, and preparation needed even before a term sheet is signed.
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Taught by Libby Hadzima Perkins (Legal Counsel at Signalfire) |
Program Partners:
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Bakar Fellows Program is the organizational partner for the 2023 cohort of FORM+FUND
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SPZ Legal is the office hours partner for the 2023 cohort of FORM+FUND