Toronto-based law firm Blakes has launched its Nitro program — which helps startups access legal services — in Vancouver.
Blakes launched Nitro in June 2017, earmarking $1 million for the creation of the program. In November, BlueCat founder Michael Hyatt joined as entrepreneur-in-residence.
“To build a company takes a village; there’s not one thing that works. Legal is part of it, and entrepreneurs that have been there and done that is part of it,” Hyatt said at the time.
The Vancouver Nitro location will also have $1 million dedicated to the program, which includes flexible and subsidized legal services tailored to a company’s stage of development.
“Vancouver is a market that is synonymous with innovation and new advances in technology,” said Troy Lehman, partner at Blakes. “Technology is the second fastest growth sector in British Columbia and Vancouver is among the top startup ecosystems in the world.”
The existing Toronto-Waterloo Nitro program currently has 30 clients. Earlier this month, Nitro client Sodatone – a startup that uses machine learning to predict which musicians will be successful – was sold to Warner Music.
The Nitro Vancouver team will be led by Lehman, Susan Tomaine, and Lindsay Clark.
Photo via Unsplash.
