10 Things Growth-Stage Tech Companies Should Do Before the End of 2025

The 2025 Legal Readiness Checklist for Growth-Stage Tech Companies

If you’re building in SaaS, AI, blockchain, or telehealth, 2026 will be a pivotal year. Emerging regulations, privacy frameworks, and reporting standards are evolving across jurisdictions. For companies who are focused on product and growth, legal and compliance planning often takes a back seat, but it shouldn’t.

This post outlines ten steps to help your company prepare for the changes ahead, minimize risk, and position for long-term success.

1. Formalize Your Entity, Equity, and Founder Agreements

Make sure your structure, ownership, and IP rights are clearly documented. That includes founder equity splits, vesting schedules, IP assignment agreements, and option plans. Clear documentation prevents disputes and reassures investors during due diligence.

🧩 Pro Tip: Update your corporate records now, even if you plan to restructure or raise capital in 2026. Investors prioritize clean governance.

2. Audit Your Core Contracts

Review customer, vendor, employment, and contractor agreements. Confirm that your NDAs and IP clauses protect company assets and that your contracts align with your business model. Consistent terms create efficiency and reduce risk across deals. If you are planning to raise capital or engage in any M&A activities, make sure there are no traps in your agreements that could derail your deals.

📂 Consider building a central contract repository or ask your fractional GC to implement one in order to simplify management and version control.

3. Protect Your Intellectual Property and Data

Your technology, data, and brand identity are critical assets. Confirm that all IP created by employees and contractors is properly assigned to the company. Evaluate whether trademark or patent filings could strengthen your market position.

🧠 Early IP planning supports valuation growth and safeguards proprietary innovation.

4. Strengthen Your Technology Compliance Posture

Technology-driven companies face different challenges depending on sector:

• AI: Document your model training data, testing processes, and human oversight. U.S. states like California and Texas are moving toward “Responsible AI” laws in 2026 that will require documentation and audit trails.
• Blockchain: Expect greater regulatory clarity around AML, securities classification, and tax obligations for digital assets.
• Telehealth: Prepare for the end of temporary telehealth flexibilities and more structured state licensure and privacy requirements.

⚙️ Staying ahead of sector-specific compliance trends builds credibility with partners and regulators.

5. Map Your Regulatory Footprint

Even if your company operates primarily in one country, cross-border data flows and global users can trigger multi-jurisdictional compliance obligations. Map where your operations intersect with major frameworks like the EU AI Act, GDPR, or U.S. state privacy laws.

🌍 Create a simple regulatory matrix listing jurisdictions, obligations, and next steps. This will be a foundational compliance tool for your team.

6. Build a Data-Governance and Privacy Playbook

Establish internal policies for how data is collected, stored, and shared. Update your privacy policy to accurately reflect your operations and implement or refresh your incident-response plan.

🔒 A clear privacy program demonstrates accountability to customers and investors alike.

7. Strengthen Vendor and Ecosystem Contracts

Third-party integrations are essential but risky. Review all vendor agreements for indemnity clauses, data-handling obligations, and service-termination rights. Make sure you can exit non-compliant partnerships without disruption.

🤝 Regular vendor audits reduce exposure across your technology ecosystem.

8. Prepare for Investor Diligence

Legal readiness directly affects valuation and deal speed. Maintain updated governance records, IP documentation, and contract templates. Address any gaps now, before you enter your next fundraising cycle.

📊 Think of this as part of your investor-readiness strategy. Clean legal hygiene = smoother diligence = faster close.

9. Budget for 2026 Compliance Updates

Build compliance costs into your 2026 operational plan. Anticipate new requirements such as AI audit reports, data transparency filings, or digital-asset reporting frameworks. Planning ahead avoids costly surprises next year.

💰 A compliance budget is a strategic investment, not an expense.

10. Engage a Fractional General Counsel

A fractional General Counsel provides scalable legal support, combining strategic oversight with cost efficiency. They can help align contracts, compliance programs, and governance structures with your growth trajectory.

⚖️ Whether you’re preparing for fundraising or expansion, a fractional GC helps you move fast without sacrificing legal integrity.

The Bottom Line

Legal readiness is business readiness. Companies that take proactive steps in 2025 will navigate 2026’s changing regulatory environment with confidence and agility.

At Vidar Law Group, we partner with growth-stage and innovative companies to design practical, scalable legal frameworks. From compliance planning to deal execution, our team helps clients move forward with clarity.

👉 Learn more about our Fractional General Counsel services
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