Marriott Harrison

The Marriott Harrison team were pleased to advise Lagercrantz Group AB, the sustainable supplier of value-creating technology, on its two recent acquisitions of Principal Doorsets Ltd and a majority interest in CP Global (CP Cases). These two acquisitions completed for Lagercrantz in the past year, illustrate our support on its journey to further strengthen its market position by entering new niche markets and expanding its offering of value-creating technology.  The acquisitions of Principal Doorsets, manufacturers of specialised fire-resistant doors, and CP Cases, a leading supplier of high-performance protective cases and racks, extends Lagercrantz’s niche product offering in both its TecSec and Control divisions. Lagercrantz will support both businesses throughout their growth journey as they expand in local and global markets. Ben Devons was pleased to lead the Marriott Harrison teams acting for the Lagercrantz Group. The team also included Thomas Mawson and Arjan Bains (Corporate), Katerina Heal and Michael Hansby (Tax), Chris Mooney, Alexander Lee, Elisabetta Bestetti and Liberty Pearl (Commercial), Andrew Timoney and Harry Peel (Real Estate) and Rima Mehay and Sofia Gottgens (Employment). Click here to find out more - https://lnkd.in/ePXg7Png   #mergersandacquisitionstech #mergersandacquisitions #manufacturing 

On Tuesday, we had the pleasure of teaming up with Run Grateful - who are on a mission to use the power of movement as a vehicle to connect the world through gratitude - to take part in the Grateful Mile, a one mile running / walking route around the City with gratitude prompts along the way. Thank you to Founder of Run Grateful Mark White and to Natalia Rivas, an advocate for bringing the Grateful Mile to the tech community, for coordinating the event and leading us on the run / walk. It was a great opportunity to take time out of our busy lives to reflect and connect with those around us, and to focus on movement to feel energised and uplifted.  We’re looking forward to the next one! #RunGrateful #GratefulMile  

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024. The introduction of this new law marks a transformative step in regulating digital markets, enhancing competition, and bolstering consumer protection in the UK.    The DMCCA:    ✍ creates a framework for regulating large businesses which have a significant market presence in digital markets;    🔍 expands the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) investigation and enforcement powers in the field of competition law; and    🎯 introduces consumer law reforms.      This article written by Head of Commercial, Chris Mooney and Commercial associate Elisabetta Bestetti, focuses on consumer law reform which is a particularly important area to understand, due to the enhanced powers of the CMA, which include the ability to issue fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover.    Click here to read the full article 👉 https://lnkd.in/eeVQK4gF

A key High Court ruling on the case of Chohan v Ved has reminded Company directors of the limits of their powers and provided guidance on how shareholders can informally provide their authority.     Read more about the case, and analysis from our Corporate Partner David Baverstock and Corporate Associate James Stocker here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eeyYAB-S

The Marriott Harrison team were pleased to advise startup, Gendo AI, on its pre-seed funding round led by Concept Ventures and including Ascension, Baobab Ventures LLC and a collection of angel investors and, after closing the round, on an initial package of interesting and exciting commercial work.  Founded by software engineer Will J., and architectural designer George Proud, Gendo is an AI platform that uses generative AI and machine learning to turn text prompts and sketches into realistic visualisations in minutes rather than days, helping architects and designers win bids and move projects on through various phases by cutting out a time-consuming and costly part of the process. With the initial round of funding, Gendo plans to expand their AI offering and launch new features for both architects and designers and to grow their team. Fran Spooner was pleased to lead the Marriott Harrison VC team, which included Bradley Heath (Corporate), Edward Belam (Employment) and Alexander Lee (Commercial and IP), furthering our AI-based credentials. The commercial work carried out by the team - led by Chris Mooney and Josh Little and including Liberty Pearl - included advice on complex and novel AI legal challenges, including ownership of IP, protection of confidential information and data protection compliance in the context of AI training data, prompts and outputs. We look forward to watching the Gendo team flourish! #AI #architecturalvisualisations #preseed 

The Marriott Harrison team was delighted to act for pan-European investor, Heartcore Capital, in respect of its investment into travel tech startup, Byway’s £5m Series A round. The oversubscribed round also included investment from Eka Ventures and re-investing Byway angels. London-based startup Byway was founded by Cat Jones to allow people to travel by more sustainable modes of transportation. Byway’s proprietary JourneyAI technology is the world’s first 100% flight-free trip planning engine, which creates unique holiday packages for customers. JourneyAI encourages travellers to slow down and enjoy the scenic route, visiting areas usually untouched by large groups of tourists. With this round of funding Byway plans to expand the growth of their team launching roles in tech, product, finance, business development and customer support and to continue the development of their core product offering. David Strong was pleased to lead the Marriott Harrison team, helping develop a sustainable travel alternative. The Marriott Harrison team also included Bradley Heath and Kimberley Lam's Descamps (Corporate), Alexander Lee and Elisabetta Bestetti (Commercial) and Edward Belam and Ciara Duggan (Employment). #flightfreetravel #sustainabletravel #SeriesA 

Yesterday, King Charles III outlined the new government’s plans as part of the State Opening of Parliament. In his speech, the King said that The Labour Party would seek to create the appropriate legislative frameworks for those developing powerful #ArtificialIntelligence models.  It reflects ongoing concerns surrounding safety in both the development and application of #AI, as well as demands for Keir Starmer to take a strong approach to #regulating the #technology from the very outset. The UK’s current ‘light touch’ approach to #legislation ensured #innovation wasn’t stifled, but the lack of certainty for where #AIRules in the UK will head next has left technology companies in a stalemate. Above all, the UK’s AI sector requires certainty, so that they can continue to innovate within an established framework. To devise this framework, consultation with technology leaders and #investors across the UK’s tech ecosystem will be vital. Read more via Oscar Hornstein in UKTN : https://bit.ly/4bT7Lj3

As The Labour Party has reached the finish line in its #GeneralElection race, it faces its next list of challenges: delivering on its promise to better support the UK’s vital #SmallBusiness and #startup sector.     Managing Partner, Daniel Jacob spoke to Richard Parris at Startups.co.uk about what the new Prime Minister will need to prioritise during his first 100 days in office if he is to create an environment where these #businesses can thrive.     For #tech startups, #AIRegulation and fiscal certainty sit at the very top of this wishlist, with hopes that Labour will strike the right balance between bolstering #innovation and maintaining the UK’s competitive edge in this field, whilst also ensuring safety and #security in the #technology’s development.     Its pledge to create a new #RegulatoryInnovationOffice signals a promising first step. Now it must deliver it.     Read the full piece via Startups.co.uk : https://lnkd.in/enjGkj5Z 

Last week, we joined forces with our valued Partner, Sie Ventures to host a panel on how to scale a business successfully – “From Founding Team to Company Culture”. Moderated by our very own Fran Spooner (VC partner at Marriott Harrison) and Triin Linamagi (Founding Partner at Sie Ventures), our expert panellists—Andrew Richardson (Managing Partner at Foundation Partners), Morgane Zerath (Investor at Crane Venture Partners), Deirdre O'Neill (Co-founder of Hertility), and Edward Belam (Employment Lawyer at Marriott Harrison) explored the intricacies of building and scaling a startup successfully. Here are some key takeaways: Culture is Crucial: Success starts with setting and managing behavioural KPIs to drive team-wide excellence on a daily basis.    Hire for Grit and Flexibility: Your first 10 hires sets the tone for your company culture and should embody work ethic and adaptability. Mission alignment can trump technical skills and corporate hires might not always be the right fit for your startup.    Leadership Shapes Culture: Founders, your personal growth sets the ceiling for your business. Develop yourself as you develop your employees to ensure you can lead your team as you scale.    Clarity in Expectations: From day one, be clear about performance targets and rewards, whether cash or equity. You don’t need to be best friends with your team, but your team will appreciate clear direction and expectations set by management.    Guard Your Equity: Treat equity like gold. Offer it sparingly and ensure all agreements are well-structured. Consult advisors to align with market standards and avoid dilution.    Invest In Employment Contracts: Prioritise investing in the production of decent employment contracts at the early stages of your business. Playbook creation can take place at a later date.    If you’re a founder, currently scaling your business, we’ve captured more insights from the event for you in this Medium article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eaG9YsEV Thank you to our panellists and guests for a fantastic event! #ScalingSuccess #StartupGrowth #CompanyCulture #Leadership #VentureCapital 

Marriott Harrison has advised the shareholders of Datasmoothie on its sale to Ipsos, one of the world’s leading market research companies. Founded in Iceland by five market research veterans and tech entrepreneurs, Datasmoothie was created to make working with data seamless and simple for everyone, regardless of tech know-how. They have developed a platform which simplifies the data compilation process aggregating the data in the form of dashboards, spreadsheets and presentations. Ipsos is one of the largest market research companies globally, with a range of specialist services providing accurate and relevant information to clients. Ipsos will utilise the Datasmoothie platform to accelerate data management and delivery, giving researchers additional time to generate impactful insights. Andrew Ross was pleased to lead the Marriott Harrison team which included James Stocker and Arjan Bains (Corporate). Click here to find out more - https://lnkd.in/ebkyVnem #datamanagement #marketresearch #mergersandacquisitions