Sidley Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program

07/07/2023

Established in 2012, Sidley Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program has provided quality legal services to 225+ impact-driven businesses, nonprofits, and NGOs across more than 60 countries. Since the Program’s inception, Sidley has helped these clients expand their operations, access new markets, and seize investment opportunities.

We are grateful to all our clients and collaborators and to the more than 1,200 Sidley lawyers and business professionals who have dedicated their time to prove essential support to businesses that foster economic, environmental and social change around the world.

11/04/2023

Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program and ITC recently held legal webinars to equip women entrepreneurs with free legal advice on cross border contracts, free trade agreements, carbon credits, and sustainability considerations in trade.

Thank you to ITC SheTrades for putting together this highlight of the results.

07/04/2023

Are you part of a SME working in the agriculture sector? Do you need support to improve your business and intellectual property strategies? The 2023 edition of the IP Management Clinic will focus on agriculture.

WIPO GREEN, WIPO’s IP for Business Division, and Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program have come together to present the 2023 IP Management Clinic. A five-month online mentoring program designed to support MSMEs in developing countries with their business and IP strategies. This year’s clinic aims to help new agricultural technologies receive investment and reach the market.

Applications are open until April 21. Learn more and register here.

WIPO GREEN and WIPO IP for Business Division together with SIDLEY AUSTIN’S Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program present: IP Management Clinic 2023 - Agriculture.

07/10/2022

Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program was selected as a finalist at the 2022 Small Business Champions Competition. The Competition was launched in 2021 by the
International Chamber of Commerce, the International Trade Centre, and World Trade Organization - WTO Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, and aims to inspire “practical ways of helping small businesses play a more active role in world trade.”

Read more on our Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program, and how we have provided free legal support to 200+ clients across 55 countries, here.

Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program was selected as one of two runners-up at the 2022 Small Business Champions Competition. The Competition was launched in 2021 by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the WTO Informal Working Group on Mi...

26/08/2022

A Sidley team, working in connection with the firm’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program, recently helped MicroEnergy Credits enter the emerging carbon market in Korea.

Sidley assisted MEC with their complex initiative to convert certified emission reduction credits, generated through the sale of clean energy products in India, into Korean Offset Credits – which can then be sold to power companies in Korea as greenhouse gas emission credits.

Thank you to the more than 30 Sidley lawyers that have been involved in helping MEC scale their growth over the years and further their goal of helping communities “make the transition to clean energy on their journey out of poverty.” Read more here, https://bit.ly/3Q76HgZ.

17/06/2022

As part of Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program, a cross-office, cross-practice team assisted BURN Manufacturing in a US$4 million term loan facility with Spark+ Africa Fund.

BURN is a leading manufacturer and distributor of clean cookstoves in East Africa. To date, it has sold more than 1.3 million of its ultra-efficient cookstoves, saving an estimated 10 tons of CO2 emissions. The proceeds of the loan will finance BURN’s expansion into , , , the , , and , and increase capacity in its manufacturing facility

The Sidley team was led by Neil Horner, Brian DiFilippo, Sheetal Khera, and Monique Gallego.

As part of Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program, a cross-office, cross-practice Sidley team assisted BURN Manufacturing Co. as borrower in all aspects of the negotiation and closing of a $4 million term loan facility with Spark+ Africa Fund, an impact investment fund that finances clean...

06/05/2022

Sidley's Emerging Enterprises Program welcomes Origen Fresh EPZ as a new pro bono client!

Origen Fresh is a Kenya-based enterprise that transforms fruits and nuts that are rejected for sale into high quality natural oils. By adopting environmentally friendly processes and working with local farmers, Origen Fresh is helping communities to improve their livelihoods.

Sidley lawyers are providing Origen Fresh with advice on corporate structure, employment-related matters, and regulatory measures of importing and exporting their products.

For more information on the Emerging Enterprises program, visit https://bit.ly/2sppRYL.

29/04/2022

Did you know that 50% of Africa's agricultural yield gap is caused by a lack of equipment?

Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises client, has developed a solution to address this issue.

Hello Tractor has emerged as a leading platform for tractor sharing in emerging markets, with over 3,000 tractors on the platform providing services to more than 500,000 farmers. The company is operational in 15 countries in Africa as well as in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Guatemala, and Jamaica.

Hello Tractor provides farm equipment owners the ability to remotely manage their equipment via GPS monitoring and earn extra cash from renting out their equipment. Recently, Hello Tractor launched a pay-as-you-go tractor finance program – and is on track to provide US$10M in loans, reaching over 110,000 new farmers, and creating more than 3,500 jobs.

Sidley lawyers have advised Hello Tractor in a variety of matters since 2016, including reviewing pay-as-you go agreements and data privacy protection.

For more information on Hello Tractor and other Emerging Enterprises projects, visit: https://bit.ly/3Lxtpx3

22/04/2022

Happy Earth Day!

Today, we recognize the Emerging Enterprises clients who actively contribute to the health and protection of the planet.

Through adopting sustainable agricultural practices, developing innovative technology that reduces pollution, and providing solutions for waste management – our climate-focused clients continue to do admirable work that are pivotal first steps in the direction of a healthier planet for future generations.

Sidley's Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program is committed to the realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, and today we re-affirm the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 13: to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

For more information on our Emerging Enterprises projects, visit https://bit.ly/2sppRYL.

14/04/2022

Sidley’s pro bono client myAgro is on a mission to elevate smallholder farmers in , , and out of poverty by offering a mobile layaway platform.

The platform allows farmers to use their mobile phones to purchase seeds and fertilizer, and uses the cash flow to deliver training to farmers on how to improve their harvest. This business is a previous winner of the Skol Award for their innovative service and their CEO was named the 2020 "Schwab Foundation Social Innovator of the Year.”

Read more on how a Sidley pro bono team recently helped myAgro with the drafting of their third series of working capital facilities here.

A Sidley pro bono team helped myAgro, an Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program client and an inspiring social enterprise, with the drafting of their third series of working capital facilities. myAgro helps to transform the lives of small-scale farmers in Mali, Senegal, and Tanzania by alleviating po...

01/04/2022

As Women’s History Month comes to an end, we are honored to continue to assist women entrepreneurs and businesses who are dedicated to the realization of gender equality and work tirelessly to empower all women and girls.

For more information on the clients we serve, visit: https://bit.ly/38vc2tG