Closing in on its first anniversary, grIP Venture Studio (grIP) has launched its new website, reflecting the substantial growth of its team of sector, technology and industry specialists and service offerings.

grIP Senior Advisors Jennifer Cuccaro and Chris Campbell were both panelists at The Deal's Corporate Sustainability Seminar on April 28-29, 2021. Jennifer participated in the panel titled “Transforming the Global Economy with Sustainable Innovation,” and Chris spoke on the panel titled, “The Best of Both Worlds: Exploring Public and Private Sector Collaboration”.

grIP and CMU's alumni investor and entrepreneur group 99 Tartans launched their first Pitch Night program for CMU alumni and students on April 14, 2021. Jennifer Cuccaro (CMU alum), Peter Dolch, and Nathan Stevenson served as judges and grIP Pitch Night Directors Christine Li-AuYeung and Rama Veeraragoo served as hosts.

DEF Cornerstones launched its first Venture Capital/Angel Pitch Night on April 6, 2021 for DEF members. grIP Senior Advisors, Chris Campbell and Peter Dolch served as judges, and grIP Pitch Night Directors Christine Li-AuYeung and Rama Veeraragoo served as hosts.

grIP founder Jed Weiner and grIP Pitch Night Director Christine Li-AuYeung co-led the session “The Oxford Experience and Entrepreneurship” at the Oxford global alumni meeting Meeting of the Minds on April 14, 2021.

In March 2021, Virginia enacted the Consumer Data Protection Act (Virginia Act), making Virginia the only state other than California to enact comprehensive data privacy laws. Businesses operating in Virginia should review their current privacy policies and protocols to comply with the Virginia Act. Businesses will have time to prepare, as the new law will take effect on January 1, 2023.

The current state of sustainable regulation and public policy in the United States is evolving rapidly. There is an active normative formation regarding disclosure. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is stepping up its oversight of sustainable/ESG related regulation. Policymakers have placed themselves on a path to require extensive disclosures from listed companies, and they are hoping that markets demand more aggressive targets. The dynamic is expected to take 18-24 months to unfold.

Fund investors should be aware that waivers of fiduciary duties in limited liability are enforceable under Delaware law.

Data scientists are usually considered to be a highly technical group, but the very best data scientists are actually the best storytellers. They produce not simply pots or analyses, but narratives. Appreciation for this ability is growing, and increasingly being labelled as “data storytelling.”

grIP Venture Studio is expanding its marketing team to include publicity and strategic communications specialist Lauren Banyar Reich to complement our branding and marketing specialists. In addition, we have added seasoned political risk expert Chris Oates to assist our clients facing regulatory and policy opportunities and risks, as well as clients entering new markets.