Andrew P. Sparks

Andrew Sparks is a partner in the firm’s Technology group and Co-Chair of its Climate Tech practice. His practice focuses on representing fast-growing emerging technology companies and the entrepreneurs who build them. Andrew has a broad range of experience in venture capital financings and corporate matters, including counseling founders in starting new businesses, capitalization structures, fundraising, strategic issues, negotiations with investors and acquirers, mergers and acquisitions, and other legal matters. He has worked for technology companies across a spectrum of industries including fintech, climate technology, artificial intelligence, SaaS, robotics, IoT, security, crypto, and digital health.

Andrew also maintains an active pro bono practice.

Andrew's recent representative experience includes advising:

• Specifx Data on its $3.5 million seed funding round to launch its first HVAC data collection app
• Cubist in its $7 Million Seed Funding
• Shifted Energy in its $4.3 million seed funding
• Juniper Square in its debt and equity financing
• Cruz Foam in its $18 million Series A financing
• Vespene Energy in its $4.3 million funding 
• Pluto in its $4 million seed funding
• Polychain Capital on its lead investment in SPACE ID’s $10 million strategic funding round
• Sam Altman as lead investor in Hermeus’ $100 Million Series B
• Forma in its $40 Million Series B led by Ribbit Capital
• Chartable on its acquisition by Spotify
• Dharma Labs on its acquisition by OpenSea
• Resolve in its $25 Million Series A led by Insight Partners
• Sam Altman as lead investor in Helion’s $500 Million Series E
• VRChat in its $80 Million Series D led by Anthos Capital
• OneStream Software in its $200 Million Series B*
• Humane Inc. in its $30 Million Series A*
• Sale of crypto company*
• Chartable in its $2.25 Million Seed Funding*
• Acquisition of software company*
• PayActiv in its $100 Million Series C and creation of structured debt facility*
• Caffeine in its $113 Million Series D Financing*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Andrew was most recently in the Emerging Companies Practice Group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in San Francisco. He began his career at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

Andrew is a member of The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce.

Andrew is recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers for 2013-2020. He is also a 2017 and 2019 recipient of the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services from the State Bar of California.

Andrew regularly gives presentations on start-up issues and venture capital financings for various programs at the University of California, Berkeley, and at start-up community events, such as for AngelPad, 500 Startups, Venture University, and Jason Calacanis’ LAUNCH.

His recent speaking engagements include:

• Co-Author, “2 Issues for Venture-Backed Climate Tech Startups to Avoid,” Law360, March 19, 2024
• Guest Lecturer, “Company Formation and Strategic Considerations,” Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Entrepreneurship Training Program, February 7, 2024
• Panelist, “Risky Business: Stories from the IPO Front Lines,” Newfront’s Unicorn Bootcamp, San Francisco, October 18, 2023
• Speaker, “How to Prepare for an Early Stage Financing with Goodwin Procter, Emerson Collective, Galvanize Climate Solutions, Dispatch Goods and Shellworks,” SOSV Climate Summit, September 26, 2023
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, June 21, 2023
• Speaker, “Investing in Web3,” Iterative Ventures, June 16, 2023
• Moderator, “The Future of Mobility with a French Corporate and Institutional Bank,” June 15, 2023
• Speaker, “Common Legal Pitfalls for Early Stage DeepTech Startups”, Union Labs Ventures, May 9, 2023
• Speaker, “Legal Q&A with Jason Calacanis,” Angel University, March 8, 2023
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, February 15, 2023
• Speaker, “How to Leverage and Negotiate Deal Structuring for Early Stage Startups,” Iterative Ventures, February 10, 2023
• Speaker, “Legal Q&A with Jason Calacanis,” Angel University, March 8, 2023
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, February 15, 2023
• Moderator, “The Future of Mobility with a French Corporate and Institutional Bank,” June 15, 2023
• Speaker, “Legal Q&A with Jason Calacanis,” Angel University, March 8, 2023
• Speaker, “How to Prepare for an Early Stage Financing with Goodwin Procter, Cantos Ventures, Paragraf and Sonocharge,” SOSV Climate Summit, October 25, 2022
• Speaker, “Series A Financings and Venture Math,” SkyDeck, University of California, Berkeley, June 1, 2022
• Speaker, "Angel Investor Ask Me Anything with Jason Calacanis," Angel University, April 4, 2022
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, December 15, 2021
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, September 29, 2021
• Speaker, “Legal Ask Me Anything,” Ocean Solutions Accelerator, Sustainable Ocean Alliance, September 20, 2021
• Speaker, “Board Setup, Governance, & Legal Operations,” Transparent Collective, August 27, 2021
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, July 28, 2021
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, June 30, 2021
• Speaker, "Start-Up Lunch & Learn," Founder University, May 4, 2021
• Speaker, "Fundamentals of Financing Your Startup," 500 Startups, April 6, 2021
• Speaker, "Start-Up Lunch & Learn," Founder University, February 23, 2021
• Judge, Demo Day, LAUNCH, October 28, 2020
• Speaker, "Start-Up Lunch & Learn," Founder University, October 27, 2020
• Guest Lecturer, "Start-Up Investing," Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University, September 29, 2020
• Speaker, "Venture Briefing: Finance Trends During Covid-19with Wilson Sonsini, Flying Fish & Mayfield Fund," Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, August 27, 2020
• Speaker, "Start-Up Legal Questions," Founder University, August 25, 2020
• Speaker, "Corporate Issues for Start-Ups," Founder University, June 2, 2020
• Speaker, "Venture Math," SkyDeck, University of California, Berkeley, April 28, 2020
• Speaker, "Startup Legal 101," SkyDeck, University of California, Berkeley, April 1, 2020
• Speaker, "Startup Employment Law", Startup Recruiting Bootcamp, Mission Driven Co., February 27, 2020
• Speaker, "Fundraising and Series A Term Sheets," SkyDeck, University of California, Berkeley, April 25, 2019
• Speaker, "From Fund Formation to Making the Investment," Venture University, San Francisco, October 30, 2018
• Speaker, "Fundamentals of Private Fund Formation," Venture University, San Francisco, July 11, 2018
• Speaker, "Start-Up Bootcamp," SkyDeck, University of California, Berkeley, June 14, 2018
• Speaker, "Corporate and IP Issues for Start-Ups," Founder University, February 6, 2018
• Speaker, "Startup Corporate and IP Fundamentals," 500 Startups, August 14, 2017
• Speaker, "Avoiding Common Startup Mistakes," 500 Startups, February 6, 2017
• Speaker, "Essentials of Start-Up Law," University of California, San Diego Entrepreneurship Seminar, October 20, 2016

Andrew’s recent publications include:

• Co-Author, “The 15-Minute Founders Guide: Series A Financing Documents,” September 15, 2022
• Quoted, “Betting on the Post-Covid Future,” Litera Venture Capital Report, March 10, 2022
• Quoted, "Top Tech Lawyers Reveal the Biggest Legal Mistakes That Startup Founders Make – And How to Avoid Them," Business Insider, January 13, 2022
• Co-author, "A Founder's Guide to Y Combinator's Post-Money Safes," The Entrepreneurs Report, Full-Year 2019
• "SAFE Financings," The Entrepreneurs Report, Q1 2019
• Co-author, "Securities Law 101 for Community Solar Market Participants," Energy Today, April 7, 2017
• "From the Desert to the Courtroom: The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act," 61 Hastings Law Journal 773, 2010