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ARTICLE · 23 APRIL 2026

Export Controls For Startups: From Overlooked Risk To Competitive Advantage

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Over the last decade, the United States has dramatically expanded the scope and enforcement of export controls, driven by heightened geopolitical competition, rapid technological advancement, and national security concerns. For startups operating in high-growth, high-technology sectors, U.S. export controls and sanctions laws now present both material compliance risk and a potential source of strategic advantage if addressed early.

United StatesInternational Law
Trevor G. Schmitt
Trevor G. Schmitt
Bell Johnson
Bell Johnson
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Over the last decade, the United States has dramatically expanded the scope and enforcement of export controls, driven by heightened geopolitical competition, rapid technological advancement, and national security concerns. For startups operating in high-growth, high-technology sectors, U.S. export controls and sanctions laws now present both material compliance risk and a potential source of strategic advantage if addressed early.

Arnold & Porter attorneys Trevor Schmitt and Bell Johnson have partnered with technology entrepreneur and strategist Michael Hochberg to develop a new white paper addressing one of the most frequently misunderstood — and increasingly consequential — areas of risk for early stage companies.

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