Our nation thrives on innovation. Any new idea is only as good as one’s ability move it from concept, through the initial startup phase, and into a scalable product or service to compete in the business cycle. Entrepreneurs, often with little money for legal expenses and very little business knowledge, struggle to understand the requirements for starting a business enterprise. This CLE discussion will demystify the initial stages of the startup process. Huge initial questions and decisions loom for entrepreneurs, such as: “what type of entity do I form?” “where do I form it?” “how do I protect my ideas?” “how do I apportion equity in my startup while maintaining control?” “what are my funding options and how do I initiate them?” “how do I legally raise money under U.S. securities laws?” This course will undertake to provide a framework for understanding these issues and how to approach them.