News
LARK advises Archetype on its investment in TACEO
The US investor Archetype has successfully led a USD 5.5 million (EUR 4.8 million) seed financing round for the Graz-based crypto startup TACEO. Venture capital firm a16z Crypto from Silicon Valley also participated in the round, as did Cyber.Fund, A.Capital Ventures, Polymorphic, and several business angels.
TACEO was founded in 2022 as a spin-off from Graz University of Technology and the AI research center Know-Center. The startup builds software that enables multiple parties to collaborate on sensitive data without exposing the underlying information.
TACEO’s ‘private shared state’ infrastructure solves the long-considered unsolvable dilemma between data protection and usage. World, the company founded by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, has been using this technology for two years.
Archetype is a venture capital fund based in New York City that specializes in early-stage investments in crypto, Web3, and decentralized infrastructure.
Business Law Powerhouse LARK provided comprehensive advice to Archetype on this transaction together with US law firm Cooley. Dr Daniel Gubitz and Dr Janosch Engelhardt (both Corporate Law/Venture Capital) led the transaction on LARK’s side.
LARK advises Econocom Group on the acquisition of a majority stake in ICT AG
Econocom Deutschland Holding GmbH has acquired a majority stake in ICT AG. The acquisition is being made indirectly through a stake in ICT Holding GmbH, the sole shareholder of ICT AG.
The shares are being transferred from the previous shareholder, BWK GmbH Unternehmensbeteiligung, to Econocom Deutschland.
With this acquisition, ICT becomes part of the internationally active Econocom Group, founded 50 years ago, which has been a pioneer in supporting businesses with their digital transformation.
Econocom supplies, finances and provides managed services for workplace, audiovisual and infrastructures. This includes equipment purchasing, configuration and customization, maintenance and repair, refurbishment and end-user support. Operating in 16 countries with over 8,500 employees, Econocom achieved €2.7 billion in revenue in 2024. The Group is listed on Euronext Brussels.
ICT is an established provider in the field of live communication and media technology. The two members of the ICT AG Executive Board, Christian Pusch (CEO) and Erik Wolff (COO), will keep their stakes in the company and will continue to manage its operational business. ICT will also remain an independent company with its own brands.
The Business Law Powerhouse LARK provided comprehensive advice to the Econocom Group on this transaction with Dr. Daniel Epe and Chiara Niestroj (both Corporate/M&A) as well as Dr. Tobias Stuppi and Jakob Heimrich (both Tax).
On behalf of Econocom, the transaction was handled in-house by Jérôme Lehmann (General Counsel M&A/Head of Corporate Affairs), Benjamin Pehau (Head of M&A), Thomas Maurer (CFO Germany) and Christoph Bläser (General Manager Germany & Poland).
LARK welcomes Gudrun Rußwurm!
We are delighted to welcome another new Team Assistant at LARK: Gudrun Rußwurm! Before joining us, Gudrun worked in various companies across southern Germany — including an international law firm and a multinational electronics company, both based in Munich. She brings with her a wealth of experience, particularly in administrative and organizational environments.
Gudrun, we are so happy to have you on board and look forward to working together!
LARK advises the Andra Tech Group on the acquisition of RJ Lasertechnik GmbH
Andra Tech Germany Holding GmbH/Andra Tech Group, a portfolio company of Castik Capital, has acquired RJ Lasertechnik GmbH.
RJ Lasertechnik GmbH, based in Übach-Palenberg, specialises in development and manufacturing tasks involving laser radiation, the construction of laser processing systems, and the sale and maintenance of accessories.
The Dutch Andra Tech Group focuses on the manufacture of high-quality precision mechanical parts and modules. It employs over 800 technical specialists and serves customers from numerous industries, including medicine and aerospace technology.
The Business Law Powerhouse LARK provided comprehensive advice to the Andra Tech Group on this transaction with Dr. Daniel Wied, Dr. Patrick Droese, Jennifer Blümlein, Fabienne Pflug, Nino Häberlein (all Private Equity/M&A), Dr. Tobias Stuppi, Jakob Heimrich (both Tax) and Valentina Groll (Finance).
Dr. Jens Jensen from backup.legal covered the labour law aspects. Inga George from boesling IP Rechtsanwälte advised on IP/IT matters.
The Andra Tech Group has repeatedly relied on Dr. Daniel Wied for add-on acquisitions. For example, he also advised the client on the acquisition of Innotec Zerspannungstechnik GmbH.
LARK welcomes Katja Federmann!
We are very pleased to welcome Katja Federmann as our new Team Assistant at LARK! Katja brings with her many years of experience from an international law firm.
We are so happy to have you with us, Katja – welcome to LARK!
PMN Management Awards 2025: LARK is nominated in the Newcomer category
We are thrilled to announce and incredibly proud that LARK has been nominated for the PMN Management Awards 2025 in the Newcomer category! This recognition means a lot to us. When we founded LARK, we wanted to rethink excellence and challenge traditional ways of running a law firm. This nomination confirms once again that we are on the right path with our innovative approach.
The PMN Management Awards, now in their 17th year, honor law firms for innovative projects in management and business services. To be part of this group, so early on in our journey, is both humbling and motivating.
The awards ceremony will take place on September 18, 2025, in Düsseldorf.
A big thank you to the jury, and congratulations to all fellow nominees. Let’s keep shaping the future of the legal profession!
LARK designs employee participation programs in the form of profit participation rights
Our team, consisting of tax lawyer Dr Tobias Stuppi and corporate lawyers Max Hentrich and Dr Daniel Gubitz, was one of the first in Germany to design employee participation programs in the form of profit participation rights (Genussrechte), for which the authorities have approved attractive capital gains taxation.
Max Hentrich and Dr Tobias Stuppi spoke to Daniel Lehmann from JUVE Steuermarkt about profit participation rights and available alternatives.
Three key points:
- Tax relief for employee shareholdings: A change in the law now makes it possible for young companies in particular to offer their employees tax-advantaged shareholdings in their company. The monetary benefit no longer has to be taxed immediately, but only when it is actually received (e.g. upon exit) – this eliminates the problem of ‘dry income’.
- Profit participation rights as an attractive form of participation: Profit participation rights combine the tax advantages of genuine capital participation (lower taxation at around 26.4%) with simpler, more cost-effective and administratively leaner implementation.
- Careful planning is crucial: Choosing the right investment model depends heavily on the size, structure, target group and exit strategy of the company. Mistakes in the design can lead to expensive problems and liability risks later on, especially during the exit.
The interview is available here (behind a paywall): https://www.juve-steuermarkt.de/hintergrund/wer-bei-der-gestaltung-spart-spart-am-falschen-ende/
LARK financing experts analyse current trends in the latest Chambers Practice Guide
Our financing experts, Anselm Lenhard and Philipp Büchler, have contributed to the latest Chambers and Partners Practice Guide, Acquisition Finance 2025, writing about 'Trends and Developments'.
This guide is essential reading for anyone requiring information on acquisition finance in Germany.
In their article, Anselm and Philipp provide an in-depth analysis of current trends and developments in the German acquisition finance market – from structural innovations to regulatory shifts.
Three key takeaways:
🔹 M&A momentum is returning: After a volatile period, the German mid-market is slowly adapting to an elevated interest rate environment. M&A and acquisition finance activity picked up in late 2024 and continues into 2025.
🔹 Private credit is reshaping the landscape: Alternative lenders have become dominant players in Germany’s mid-market – a trend likely to continue as banks face stricter regulatory capital requirements.
🔹 Vendor financing bridges valuation gaps: As buyers and sellers still struggle to align on price, vendor loans remain a practical tool to close financing gaps and enable deal execution.
👉 Read the full article here: https://shorturl.at/bbZuN
LARK celebrates Pride Month
At LARK, we believe that diversity makes us stronger – not just as a law firm, but as a community of people committed to a more inclusive world.
Pride Month is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, honour the progress that has been made, and acknowledge the work that still lies ahead.
At LARK, diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords. They are deeply embedded in our culture and values. This enables us to actively create an environment in which everyone is seen and can thrive as an individual.
We’re proud to stand alongside our LGBTQ+ colleagues and clients - not just this month, but every month.
Christin Stender christin.stender@lark.de