ICC’s SME Labs are specially curated to provide you with the right tools and resources to properly protect your business against a legal fallout.
SME Lab#1: Starting to negotiate
>25 May, 11.00-12.30 CEST
SME Lab#2: Organising your company
>2 June, 11.00-12.30 CEST
SME Lab#3: Starting to operate
>29 June, 11.00-12.30 CEST
Say the word “contract” and most people’s eyes start to glaze over. Not only can contracts be daunting and intimidating, they can also be plain boring. What is more, having limited resources makes it difficult to prioritise legal matters – especially when there are exciting elements of your business to prepare.
While it may be tempting to simply seal the deal with a handshake after negotiating seed funding from an investor, having a strong legal foundation is the key to protecting you, your business, and your income.
Whether you are a start-up or a well-established company, a well-drafted contract makes it crystal clear what is expected of you and the other parties to the contract. A poorly drafted contract could cost you and your business time and money.
ICC’s Model Start-up Contracts are an indispensable and user-friendly resource for entrepreneurs wanting to quickly and easily draw up and negotiate their own contracts – without forgetting any of the essentials. Written by some of the world’s leading commercial lawyers, these easy-to-use digital contracts are succinct, practical, and provide a neutral framework for all your contractual relationships.
Why should I join this event?
In this free ICC SME Lab Series, you will learn from some of the finest legal minds in the field of international commercial law on:
- The purpose of each model contract
- How you can use the flexible provisions within each model to help you write your own contracts
You will also have the chance to:
- Receive real-world guidance from entrepreneurs on how to avoid common pitfalls that can make or break your business
- Experience live demonstrations of how to use model contracts
- Ask questions to our subject-matter experts and seasoned entrepreneurs
- Earn a 50% reduction on ICC’s Model Start-up Contracts thanks to a special code that will be shared during the event.
Which ICC Model Contracts are covered in this series?"
- Term Sheet
- Shareholders Agreement
- Directors Services Agreement
- Confidentiality Agreement
- Employment Agreement
The series will cover additional ICC model contracts covering fundamental business topics for use by any company, new or old, large or small:
- International Sale Contract
- Agency Agreement
- Distributorship Agreement
- Franchising Agreement
- Consultancy Agreement
Who should attend?
Small business owners, start-ups, legal advisors to SMEs and start-ups, in-house counsel and anyone who would gain from learning about making the right contract choices.
Because of the flexible provisions in the ICC Model Start-up Contracts, companies from all over the world can use these contracts, whether they do business domestically or internationally.
SME Lab#1: Starting to negotiate, 25 May, 11.00-12.30 CEST
Session focus: Disclosure of confidential information. Terms of engagement for investor- shareholder relations. Detailed provisions regarding the relationship among shareholders.
Overview
What kind of contract you should you put in place when you receive seed funding from an investor? What terms and clauses should you include in a shareholders agreement? Transforming a great idea into a functional business is an exciting venture, but it can also be an overwhelming experience. There are so many details to consider and decisions to make – from establishing a business plan and preparing the initial organisational documents to hiring staff.
In this workshop, you will learn:
- About three of the main ICC Model Start-ups Contracts: the ICC Model Confidentiality Agreement, ICC Model Term Sheet, and ICC Model Shareholders Agreement
- How you can quickly and easily adapt these models – and their provisions – for your own business requirements, saving you time and money.
SME Lab#2: Organising your company, 2 June, 11.00-12.30 CEST
Session focus: You have just set up your company and signed your Shareholders Agreement. What else do you need to take care of? Relations with the directors and the employees. Guidance on key IP matters.
Overview
Even if you start a company with your best friend and hire your family members, you will need to make sure that you have a formal agreement in place to protect you and your company from litigation – should things ever turn contentious. And what about your ideas? How do protect your unique business concepts from being stolen and sold on to another company?
In this workshop, you will learn:
- About the following ICC Model Contracts: the ICC Model Employment Agreement, ICC Model Directors Services Agreement, the IP Guidance Document, and Boilerplate Clauses
- How the flexible provisions of these model contracts can help you draft your contracts effectively and efficiently to protect your company without breaking the bank
SME Lab#3: Starting to operate, 29 June, 11.00-12.30 CEST
Session focus: Trading at home or internationally; managing operational risks; delivering the best possible services.
Overview
Unforeseen circumstances happen. But any successful entrepreneur will tell you that success is not achieved without keen awareness and some risk management. That is why contracts and services agreements are essential business tools for professional trading and business relationships alike. Why? Because whether you are offering a service or product to clients and/or working with vendors to create and deliver that service or product, having clear and comprehensive contracts in place will help shield you from any potential legal blowback should a dispute arise.
In this workshop, you will learn:
- About the following ICC Model Contracts: the ICC Model International Sale Agreement, ICC Model Distributorship Agreement, ICC Model Agency Agreement, ICC Model Franchising Agreement, and ICC Model Consultancy Agreement
- Why these model contracts are significant to your business activities and how to use them
- The flexible solutions these contracts offer to cross-border agreements
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Fabio Bortolloti |
Partner, Buffa, Bortolloti, Mathis (BBM), Italy |
|
Silvia Bortolloti |
Secretary General, International Distribution Institute (IDI); Partner, BBM, Italy |
|
Ercüment Erdem |
Founder and Senior Partner, Erdem & Erdem, Turkey |
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Bettina Geisseler |
Lawyer, Geisseler Law, Germany |
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Sergi Gimenez Binder |
Partner, Augusta Abogados, Spain |
|
Souleymane Gning |
Founder and CEO, Asuraf, Senegal |
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Nikhilesh Goel |
Co-Founder & Group CEO, Validus, Singapore |
|
Karima-Catherine Goundiam |
CEO, Red Dot Digital; Founder, B2BeeMatch, Canada |
|
Emily O'Connor |
Director, Trade and Investment, International Chamber of Commerce, Paris |
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Ecem Süsoy |
Senior Associate, Erdem & Erdem, Turkey |
|
Carlo Tabellini |
Managing Partner, Studio Tabellini, Italy |
|
Cecilia Xu Lindsey |
Barrister; Arbitrator, 9 Stone Buildings Barristers’ Chambers, United Kingdom |
| Dates and venue |
SME Lab#1: Starting to negotiate SME Lab#2: Organising your company SME Lab#3: Starting to operate Online |
| Registration fees | Free of charge |
| Working language | English |
| Disclaimer | The photos and audiovisual recordings taken at this meeting/event may be used and published by ICC, its subsidiaries or affiliates, for informational or promotional purposes in printed materials or online, including on ICC websites and in social media. Participation in the meeting/event implies agreement to such use of photos or audiovisual recordings in which the participant may appear unless ICC receives written notification to the contrary. |
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