Cresco Advocaten > Antwerp, Belgium > Firm Profile
Cresco Advocaten Offices
LANGE KIEVITSTRAAT 118-120
2018 ANTWERP
Belgium
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Cresco Advocaten > The Legal 500 Rankings
Belgium > Industry focus: IT and telecoms Tier 3
Cresco Advocaten's broad coverage sees them advising on corporate partnering transactions as well as strategic IT and IP matters, often assisting companies with strategic advice on portfolio growth. The department also excels in the implementation of technology solutions into products through licensing, OEM licensing and joint-venture arrangements. David Dessers is a key port of call for a number of domestic technologies companies and entrepreneurs, who turn to him for assistance with their fundraising and acquisitions activities. Olivier Van Raemdonck is a seasoned lawyer who routinely works on innovative ventures related to complex commercial transactions.Practice head(s):
David Dessers; Olivier Van Raemdonck
Testimonials
‘Great knowledge about technology.’
‘Deep industry expertise.’
‘Olivier Van Raemdonck helps out and advises personally, or together, with his team in a very timely manner.’
‘A young and dynamic team focusing on legal aspects of innovation, guided by highly experienced partners.’
‘ A team with deep expertise on our core needs, namely funding and capital raising in early-stage companies.’
‘A team with broad expertise on different subjects of the law.’
‘Olivier Van Raemdonck has shown round-the-clock availability, fast and committed support.’
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Key clients
KBC Group
imec.xpand
Credix
Otra Solutions
Skipr
Vlerick Business School
NovaReperta
Neuroventis
Spacewell
Septentrio
Arspectra
Pulsify
Techwolf
Zeopore
Cumul.io
Work highlights
- Advised UFO Drive on its global strategic partnership with Hertz.
- Advised Skipr in its partnerships with Belfius, ALD Automotive and Sodexo.
- Advised Spacewell on its worldwide technology and commercial contracting.
Belgium > Dispute resolution Tier 4
Based in Antwerp, Cresco Advocaten's focus on commercial litigation spans a number of sectors, with recent engagements seeing the team act for key regional clients from the worlds of financial estate, real estate, media, tech, and retail, among others. Practice head Steven Daems, who was promoted to partner in January 2022, is experienced in all manner of corporate and commercial matters, including shareholder disputes and directors' liability issues. Daems works in conjunction with counsel Natalie Lemense, a seasoned litigator whose focus encompasses contract claims and IT sector proceedings. Senior associate Emilie Praet is recommended for her capabilities in IP and IT work.Practice head(s):
Steven Daems
Other key lawyers:
Natalie Lemense; Emilie Praet; Amber Sampana
Testimonials
‘Value for money. solutions oriented.’
‘Amber Sampana; from a performance point of view and value add to the team it is definitely above what you would expect from somebody who graduated in 2020.’
‘Keen grasp of case , openness to client input on strategic approach, yet strong and unyielding on legal aspects, team players’
‘Strong and well balanced team, excellent in attitude and force in each role.’
Key clients
ROXELL
CHG-Meridian Belux
BNP Paribas Fortis
SPACEWELL – MCS
KEMIN EUROPA
Work highlights
- Advised a Belgian payment facilities technology company and its board of directors on the winding down and subsequent bankruptcy of the company, taking into account various shareholders’ disputes.
- Advised a Belgian serial entrepreneur on the initiation in Belgium of an international legal (multi-million euro) claim against his fellow shareholders and the previous managers of Dutch holding company.
- Advising a payment services company on a claim relating to the termination of an agreement with a client relating to anti-money laundering.
Belgium > Real estate and construction Tier 4
Belgium > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 5
Cresco Advocaten has a strong focus on the start-up and scale-up space, advising venture capital funds, businesses, and entrepreneurs on strategic partnerships and joint ventures, fund formation and fundraising, and M&A. Alongside investment funds, the firm primarily advises clients within the tech and innovation space, including a number of fintech companies. The team is led by David Dessers, who is heavily involved in the technology sector, with Olivier Van Raemdonck also a key name for both fund and M&A work.Practice head(s):
David Dessers
Other key lawyers:
Olivier Van Raemdonck; Glenn L’Hoest
Testimonials
‘The team has a very good understanding of the global venture capital industry, fundraising process.’
‘The team was friendly, knowledgeable, effective and kept its promises.’
‘The work was carried out in a very straight forward way, with quick turnarounds. This was highly appreciated given the short timeline.’
‘Knowledgeable and empathetic team that has clients’ best interest in mind. They ensured that our time spent on the case was limited to the true impactful and business-related decisions.’
‘Very high level of client service and expertise, always available and always transparent with clients’ best interest in mind,’
‘Very good support from Olivier Van Raemdonck and Glenn L’Hoest, strong and complementary team with high level of skillset and high level of client service.’
Key clients
imec.xpand II
SmartFin Capital – SmartFin Ventures
Projective
KBC Group
Rein4ced
Robovision
Pitchdrive Fund II
Angelwise
KBC Focus Fund
M80 Partners
Airbus Ventures
Xange Ventures
UFO Drive
9.5 Ventures
Innovation Industries Fund
TechWolf
Credix
Work highlights
- Advised Xpand Partners GP on the formation and funding of imec.xpand II, a EUR 250 million early stage deeptech fund.
- Advised Airbus Ventures and Xange Ventures on the EUR 37 million Series B funding of Aerospacelab.
- Advised Ninepointfive Ventures in its joint venture Makerverse with Siemens Energy and Zeiss.
Belgium > Private equity
Cresco Advocaten > Firm Profile
The firm: Cresco is a premier business law firm focused on providing business law advice and counsel to entrepreneurs, emerging, growth and established companies and various types of investors, including private equity investors, venture capitalists and strategic corporate investors.
The firm combines international legal know-how with business expertise acquired through extensive in-house experience at leading companies active in a broad range of sectors and industries.
Main areas of practice
Mergers and acquisitions: Cresco’s M&A practice covers i.a. information technology, clean tech, life sciences, hospitality, real estate and infrastructure.
- Materialise (Nasdaq listed) in RS Scan acquisition
- Newtec and its shareholders in Singapore Technologies acquisition
- Borit and its shareholders in Weifu acquisition
- Dovesco in Netflow and Accel acquisitions
- Core Equity Holdings in dental buy-and-build acquisitions
Key clients: Dovesco, SmartFin, imec, Gimv, Materialise, PMV, Fortino
Venture capital and private equity: Cresco has market-leading capabilities in private equity and venture capital matters including fund formation, capital raisings, (regulatory) compliance, and investments and divestments of portfolio companies.
- Formation and fundraising of various funds (SmartFin funds, Novalis funds, imec.xpand)
- Represented funds in various investments in Belgium, The Netherlands, Turkey, Germany, United Kingdom, USA, Indian and Middle East
Key clients: imec, Qbic, Volta, SmartFin, Novalis, Fortino, PMV, Gimv, Qbic Ventures, Droia, btov
Emerging and growth companies practice: Cresco represents entrepreneurs, start-ups, emerging and growth companies, in the realisation of their plans and ideas, fundraisings and organising their day-to-day business.
- Skipr and Lab Box in strategic Belfius investment and commercial collaboration
- Pharrowtech, Micledi and Pulsify, imec spin-offs, in their Series A investment rounds
- Droia, Polaris, Alsa and Pfizer in Montis venture capital investment
Key clients: Lab Box (D’Ieteren), InvestSuite, Manual.to, Qover, Micledi, Pulsify, Pharrowtech, Zeopore
IP/IT and innovation: Cresco structures brand protection, corporate partnering and strategic alliance transactions, ecosystem design, R&D deals and co-ownership agreements, group IP structuring and licensing arrangements, outsourcing arrangements, and OEM agreements.
- Co.station in the design, structuring and implementation of various sector-specific ecosystems
- Numerous start-ups and scale-ups in their commercial collaborations with research institutions and corporates
- Various investment funds with the analysis of the IP portfolios of target companies
Key clients: Elia, imec, Spacewell, Flemish government, Board of Innovation, Circular Systems, Skipr, Co.station
Dispute resolution: Cresco advises and represents entrepreneurs and large corporates in a wide range of corporate and commercial disputes. Risk management and efficient dispute resolution in litigation or arbitration are key to the practice.
- Former) shareholders and directors on post- acquisition claims
- Software developers or their clients on licensing agreements and OEM agreements
- Directors and shareholders on all matters of corporate litigation, and regarding companies in distress
- Manufacturers and distributors on commercial disputes (agency, franchise, distribution, etc.)
- Real estate owners on all matters of (commercial) lease, sale and purchase, etc.
- Financial service providers and (technology) lease companies on matters relating to debt recovery and property management
- Bio- and life science companies on matters relating to risk assessment and IP-conflict management
Real estate: Cresco delivers innovative, creative and practical legal services for the full spectrum of real estate needs.
- Eoluz in drafting and negotiation of complex framework agreement for engineering, procurement and construction of PV plants
- Flemish Government in negotiations and litigation against a public housing company
- Belgian Government in negotiations regarding a series of lease agreements
- Skilpod, an industry specialist in movable living and living working spaces in a financial and real estate transaction with several outside investors
- BRIXadvice, a specialist in logistics and security solutions within production and distribution, regarding the implementation of an online platform for warehouses
Key clients: Belgian and Flemish government, Percassi,, Eoluz, Comics Station Antwerp, MUCC, WannaWork, March, Skilpod, BRIXadvice
Complex commercial agreements: By combining industry knowledge, technology acumen and strategic business expertise, Cresco assists entrepreneurs, start-ups, emerging and growth companies, on complex commercial agreements and their day-to-day business.
- Percassi (world leader in retail development and major real estate projects) with the drafting and negotiation of complex retail agreements in city centres, shopping centres and railway stations in the Benelux
- Septentrio with the structuring, negotiation and drafting of its standard terms in various commercial relationships
- Spacewell with the structuring, negotiation and drafting of its standard terms in various commercial relationships
Key clients: Percassi, Eoluz, Spacewell, Septentrio, Mensura, Board of Innovation
Corporate venturing: Cresco regularly represent emerging companies or corporates in structuring their non-equity and equity based corporate venturing transactions.
- Co.station in the design, structuring and implementation of various sector-specific ecosystems
- Corporates in the design, structuring and implementation of corporate partnering strategies
- Numerous start-ups and scale-ups in their commercial collaborations with research institutions and corporates
Key clients: KBC Group, Elia, Lineas, Orsi, 9.5 Magnitude Ventures, imec.xpand
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
General corporate and securities matters | David Dessers | david.dessers@crescolaw.com | |
General corporate and securities matters | Olivier Van Raemdonck | olivier.vanraemdonck@crescolaw.com | |
General corporate and securities matters | Filip De Schouwer | filip.deschouwer@crescolaw.com | |
Mergers and acquisitions | Olivier Van Raemdonck | olivier.vanraemdonck@crescolaw.com | |
Mergers and acquisitions | David Dessers | david.dessers@crescolaw.com | |
Venture capital and private equity | Olivier Van Raemdonck | olivier.vanraemdonck@crescolaw.com | |
Venture capital and private equity | David Dessers | david.dessers@crescolaw.com | |
Emerging and growth companies | Olivier Van Raemdonck | olivier.vanraemdonck@crescolaw.com | |
Emerging and growth companies | David Dessers | david.dessers@crescolaw.com | |
Complex commercial agreements and partnering | Filip De Schouwer | filip.deschouwer@crescolaw.com | |
Intellectual property and innovation counselling | Olivier Van Raemdonck | olivier.vanraemdonck@crescolaw.com | |
Intellectual property and innovation counselling | David Dessers | david.dessers@crescolaw.com | |
Corporate partnering and venturing | Olivier Van Raemdonck | olivier.vanraemdonck@crescolaw.com | |
Corporate partnering and venturing | David Dessers | david.dessers@crescolaw.com | |
Dispute resolution | Steven Daems | steven.daems@crescolaw.com | |
Dispute resolution | Natalie Lemense | natalie.lemense@crescolaw.com | |
Real estate | Filip De Schouwer | filip.deschouwer@crescolaw.com |