Jana Huwyler

About Jana

Jana is brings a wealth of experience in corporate and commercial law, helping founders and investors with everything from incorporation and financing rounds to exit transactions. As a former founder who ran her own company for seven years, she knows firsthand the challenges startups face. This experience allows her to quickly understand her clients’ needs and provide tailored, practical solutions that truly make a difference.

Focus Areas

StartupFinancing RoundsCorporate General

Selected Track Record

• Term Sheets and Investment Agreements: Jana specializes in drafting and structuring term sheets and investment agreements. She ensures accurate calculations of equity stakes in cap tables and leads negotiations with investors, resulting in successful agreements and efficient closings.
• Streamlined Seed Financing and Convertible Loan Agreements: She focuses on simplifying and streamlining seed financings and convertible loan agreements to make the process as straightforward and efficient as possible.
• Tailored ESOP & PSOP Plans: Jana creates customized Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) and Phantom Stock Option Plans (PSOPs) to meet the specific needs of different companies. She provides expert advice on employee ownership, selecting the most appropriate plan with tax implications in mind.
• Corporate Housekeeping: Jana handles various corporate housekeeping matters, including drafting shareholder agreements with customized clauses such as vesting, good leaver/bad leaver provisions. Her work ensures that all aspects of corporate governance are handled smoothly and effectively.
• General Meetings: She leads general meetings, ensuring they are conducted efficiently and in full compliance with legal requirements, providing a seamless experience for all stakeholders involved.
• Steward Ownership Models: Jana provides expert guidance on steward ownership models, helping clients find and implement models that best align with their goals and values.

Speaking Engagements & Publications

• Presentations and workshops on various legal topics at global platforms (e.g. World Economic Forum) and within the startup ecosystem (e.g. Startup Nights Winterthur, START Summit St. Gallen)
• Regular coaching sessions at the ETH student project house

Languages

German, English