Gilbert + Tobin is delighted to have advised Telstra in connection with a new venture capital fund launched by Telstra Ventures, the venture capital arm of Telstra. The new fund is backed by Telstra and HarbourVest, one of the world’s largest private equity investment firms, and will focus on early to late stage venture investment opportunities in the US and the Asia Pacific.

The new fund marks the next evolution of the Telstra Ventures business and will allow the existing Telstra Ventures team to scale their investment activities in cutting-edge technology companies while leveraging Telstra and HarbourVest’s global network. The agreement will see Telstra Ventures contributing its current investments into the new fund with a continued focus on technology and innovation for future investments.

The G+T team advised Telstra in connection with the M+A, regulatory, fund formation and structuring elements of the transaction, and was led by Corporate Advisory Partner Adam Laura and senior lawyers James Wood, Richard Francis and Beth Jeffers.

The deal represents one of the most innovative and complex venture capital transactions in recent times. Gilbert + Tobin partner Adam Laura said, “We are delighted to have worked on this transaction with Telstra and the Telstra Ventures team. This is a fantastic outcome for the Telstra business and great news for the asset class more broadly.”

Gilbert + Tobin’s market-leading Funds Management team has advised on some of Australia’s most significant private equity and venture capital funds formation transactions, acting for many of the sponsor and LP clients active throughout Asia Pacific.