Startup in a Box
Many entrepreneurs come to us expert in the science, but not knowing the first thing about starting a company. QB3 Startup in a Box gives you what you need to get going, and we don’t ask you to give up equity.
QB3 Startup in a Box
incorporation
Eight hours of help from top Silicon Valley lawyers
services
Discounts on a growing list of services for entrepreneurs
FTO ANALYSIS
Confirm your freedom to operate in IP space*
mentorship
Advice & connections from experienced professionals
banking
A no-fee commercial account from Silicon Valley Bank
*For selected startups. Provided by Berkeley Law and UC Law SF. Twice-yearly application cycle.
testimonial
“I guarantee you that I would not have gotten the grant (without Startup in a Box).” — Rachel Haurwitz, CEO, Caribou Biosciences (Xconomy, September 29, 2016)
Incorporation Support
These services are provided by QB3 Startup in a Box legal partners. They provide these services to your company at no charge, and your company is not obligated to continue to use the law firm’s services. However, QB3 hopes that the law firm will supply excellent services and your company will naturally want to continue the relationship. The startup is responsible for filing fees. Startups are cycled in order through our partner firms.
Incorporation
Help in agreeing on a pre-funding cap-table
A set of standard documents (NDAs, employment agreements, etc.)
Preliminary review of IP position including a letter of intent for an exclusive license with the university if necessary
Services
Discounts and benefits available to startups in our network, including incubator residents and members of Startup in a Box. Contact our entrepreneurship program manager Gino Segre for details.
Service Partners
Featured
Freedom-to-Operate Analysis
QB3 partners with the Startup Legal Garage at UC Hastings, a selective program offering free legal services to early-stage technology and biotech companies. Typically, five companies are selected to receive FTO help in the spring cycle and another five in the fall.
For biotech startups, the Legal Garage focuses exclusively on patent landscape surveys, otherwise known as freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis. The free legal services are worth an estimated $15,000 to $30,000 and are performed by top UC Hastings law students working under the supervision of attorneys from prominent law firms, such as Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Orrick, DLA Piper and Pillsbury.
Criteria for eligibility are as follows:
- Less than $1 million in funding
- Biotech component to your business model
- Past the “wet-napkin” stage; i.e. have a beta, an MVP, or a product already launched
- Ready to commit time to legal needs
The Legal Garage offers services in a semiannual cycle, January through April and August through November. Leading up to each session, QB3 takes applications from Startup in a Box companies and forwards selected candidates to the Legal Garage.
Mentorship
QB3 has developed a network of mentors to help companies create a business plan that includes clarity about the best market to serve, the needs of their customers, the capital required, and the most significant risks that will need to be addressed. Our Executive Mentorship program connects selected companies to industry veterans for guidance on key business matters.
Commercial Bank Account
In order to apply for an SBIR grant, your company must be registered with grants.gov. This requires a business bank account. Silicon Valley Bank has agreed to provide QB3 Startup in a Box companies with no-deposit, no-fee accounts for this purpose.