The Michelmores team was able to navigate the complexities of the multi-jurisdictional nature of this deal to ensure we now have the necessary resources to achieve our ambitious growth plans to provide all Ethiopians with the ability to electronically receive and send money, and pay for goods and services quickly.
Companies in the FinTech space need lawyers who understand both the financial services and technology industries. Whether you are established in the market as an innovator or a new entrant, or involved in investment into FinTech solutions, our FinTech solicitors advise our clients on a wide range of areas including:
- Anti-money laundering and anti-bribery and corruption issues
- Commercial contracts
- Crowdfunding
- Data protection
- Disputes
- Financial services regulation
- Fundraising and financing
- Initial Coin Offerings and associated broking
- Intellectual property
- M&A (including cross-border)
- FCA Sandbox applications
We help businesses to navigate the regulatory framework as it develops to keep pace with technological advances. We advise on the FCA’s regulatory requirements for innovators, as well as advising on alternatives to direct FCA authorisation.
Recent experience
We provide ongoing advice to a consumer finance business in connection to its electronic platform which enables retailers to offer point-of-sale consumer finance and credit cards, thereby connecting lenders, retailers and customers.
Advising on contracts and agreements for a cybersecurity business that provides a managed cyber threat analysis service to its global client base.
Advising on an equity capital investment by DEG, the German development finance institution, and the European Investment Bank. The M-BIRR service provides an alternative to a bank branch by enabling cashless money transfers and payments by mobile phone. By doing so, it is helping improve access to banking services in Ethiopia on a wide scale.
Acting for Downing LLP in making available approximately £22m to invest into four solar PV projects across the country. Downing, which specialises in tax-efficient investments, has raised in excess of £1bn from over 20,000 UK investors in its more than 25 year history and recently launched an investment based crowdfunding platform for retail investors.
Assisted with the set up and operation of a new online platform-led trade finance business including providing bespoke documentation.
Advised the managers of a Sierra Leone Investment Fund (a private equity fund whose backers include CDC, the British Government’s development finance institution) investment in Splash Mobile Money, Sierra Leone’s first mobile payment system.
Advising an international ethical bank in relation to the launch of its crowd-funding platform that connects private investors with UK businesses that offer ethical investment opportunities.
Advised Mindful Chef on its £3m crowdfunding on the Crowdcube and Seedrs platforms.
Advised Finnfund on its substantial quasi-equity investment into Mobisol (Mobisol), a German-based solar service provider that provides rent-to-own solar home systems to customers in East Africa. Mobisol, combines solar energy, mobile technology and microfinance to bring clean power to rural households in East Africa where on-grid power supply is not available.
