Cassandra Cuellar is a partner in the Emerging Growth practice.  

Cassandra represents emerging companies, entrepreneurs and venture capital investors in a broad range of corporate transactions, primarily in the context of venture capital financings, public and private offerings, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance.  She counsels companies throughout their lifecycle on matters ranging from pre-incorporation planning, company formations, fundraising strategies, private financings, IPOs, follow-on offerings, as well as M&A and general corporate compliance matters.  Cassandra also counsels venture capital investors, such as investment funds, corporate venture capital investors and angel investors, on investment strategy, divestments and other portfolio company matters. 

Cassandra is a member of the firm’s FinTech Foundry program, which supports the FinTech-related activities of our clients and the wider global FinTech ecosystem including financial institutions, FinTech startups, accelerators and incubators, venture capital and private equity investors, and policymakers.

Venture Capital

• Represented VMware, Inc., a leader in cloud infrastructure and digital workspace technology, in its investments in Triggermesh, Inc., Digital Asset Holdings, Inc., and Yugabyte, Inc.
• Represented Hitachi Energy Ltd., a manufacturer and developer of electrical equipment, in its investment in H2 Green Steel
• Represented growth equity firm Delta-v Capital, LLC in its investments in Landing Holdings, LogRocket, and Tquila Automation
• Represented venture capital firm New Road Capital Partners, LLC in its investment in Engyra, Inc.
• Represented DivcoWest, LLC, a real estate investment firm, in its investments in Refresh Club, Inc (d/b/a The Wing), Kitchen United, Inc, and Metropolis Technologies, Inc.
• Represented Citigroup, Inc., in its strategic investments in T-REX Group, Inc. and Aiera, Inc.
• Represented Caris Life Sciences, a biotechnology company, in its $830 million Series D financing and $400 million term loan financing
• Represented Schoox, Inc., an eLearning platform, in its growth equity financing led by Vista Equity Partners Endeavor Fund
• Represented Restream, Inc., a multi-streaming software company, in its $50 million Series A financing led by Sapphire Ventures and Insight Partners
• Represented Take2 Technology, Inc., a cybersecurity company, in its Series Seed financings from Bill Wood Ventures and Silverton Partners
• Represented StoryFit, Inc., an artificial intelligence company, in its Series A financing led by Refinery Ventures
• Represented iink Payments, a developer of endorsing technology, in its Series Seed financing led by Grand Ventures
• Represented Globus AI, Inc., a global data science and artificial intelligence company, in its Series Seed financing

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Represented VMware, Inc., a leader in cloud infrastructure and digital workspace technology, in its acquisitions of Octarine Labs, Inc., Datrium, Inc., and Salt Stack, Inc.
• Represented LDR Holding Corp., a publicly traded medical device company, in its $1.1 billion sale to Zimmer Biomet
• Represented Welltok, Inc., an enterprise SaaS company, in its acquisition by Virgin Pulse
• Represented ITC Broadband Holdings, LLC, an internet services provider, in its acquisition of CSM Holding Company, LLC, and its subsidiaries
• Represented Volumetric Biotechnologies, Inc., a three-dimensional bioprinting developer, in its acquisition by 3D Systems
• Represented Dell Technologies, Inc. in its acquisition of SaaS integration leader Boomi
• Represented Centina Systems, Inc, a developer of network performance management solutions, in its sale to Ciena Corporation
• Represented Ardagh HP Inc., a global supplier of metal and glass packaging, in its acquisition of Hart Print Inc.
• Represented Amyris, Inc., an industrial biotechnology company, in its brand collaboration joint venture with actress Tia Mowry, through the launch of the haircare line, 4U by Tia
• Represented Amyris, Inc., an industrial biotechnology company, and Aprinnova, an operator of neossance cosmetic ingredients, in its sale and licensing of certain cosmetic ingredients to Givaudan SA

Capital Markets

• Represented a medical device company in its $86.25 million initial public offering and its $111 million follow-on offering

FinTech

• Represented cryptocurrency exchange Bakkt Holdings, LLC in its formation, which involved the contribution of assets from Intercontinental Exchange, as well as representing Bakkt in two major financings, in which Bakkt raised approximately $482.5 million
• Represented the corporate venture arm of a large financial services provider in its Series A preferred stock investment and convertible note investment in an insurance technology emerging growth company
• Represented the corporate venture arm of a large financial services provider in its Series A preferred stock investment in a FinTech data collection emerging growth company
• Represented the corporate venture arm of a large financial services provider in its Series D preferred stock investment in an artificial intelligence emerging growth company with applications in the financial services sector
• Represented a selling stockholder in the sale of an online shopping rewards emerging growth company

SPAC

• Represented cryptocurrency exchange Bakkt Holdings, LLC in its agreement to merge with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings (NASDAQ: VIH), a transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $2.1 billion
• Represented Ibere Pharmaceuticals, a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries, in its $138 million initial public offering

Professional Affiliations

• Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
• Texas Wall Street Women

Awards & Accolades

• Recognized as a Rising Star – Corporate in The Women in Business Law Awards, Americas by IFLR (2022)
• Recognized as a Texas Rising Star in Business & Corporate, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2021–2023)

Publications

• Chambers & Partners USA Global Practice Guides, co-author
  • Technology M&A 2022 - Trends & Developments
  • Technology M&A 2022 – Law and Practice
• The Changing FinTech Landscape – A Snapshot of M&A Themes and Trends 2021, co-author
• Preparing for IPO Success: The Transition in the Founder’s Role and Corporate Culture, Shearman & Sterling Corporate Governance & Executive Compensation Survey 2020, co-author

Speaking Engagements

• “DigitALL within the FinTech, Blockchain and Crypto Industries,” panelist in partnership with FinTech Foundry by Shearman (March 8, 2023)
• “Corporate Venture Capital Market Trends,” presented to a client (February 16, 2023)
• “Corporate Venture Capital Trends,” presented to a client (January 18, 2023)
• “Venture Capital: Inspired Disruption in Real Assets,” Kayo Women’s Infrastructure Summit (November 2022)
• “Challenges of Current Venture Capital Market and Best Practices in Response” (October 28, 2022)
• “Corporate Venture Capital Trends,” presented to a client (October 18, 2022)
• “FinTech: No slowdown in the face of valuation challenges,” 2nd Annual Shearman & Sterling Corporate Venture Investor Summit (May 2022)
• “Invest in Your Potential,” presented in partnership with Johara Global (May 2022)
• “Scaling Operations in the U.S.,” presented to Innovate Finance (September 2021)
• “Funding Sources,” presented to Geekdom San Antonio (July 2021)
• “ESG-Related Risks and Strategies” (April 21, 2021)
• “Taking a Company Public: IPO Readiness and Current Trends in SPACs,”Shearman Women Webinar (April 12, 2021)
• International Women’s Day FinTech Friday hosted by Barclays Rise, mentor (March 19, 2021)
• “Overview of the Venture Capital Financing Lifecycle” (December 7, 2020)
• “Special Issues in Acquiring Venture-Backed Companies” (November 18, 2020)
• Beam’s Fundraising Essentials: Financial Basics series, mentor (November 18, 2020)
• “Getting Ready to Raise Private Capital – What Founders Need to Know and Shouldn’t be Afraid to Ask,” presented to Quesnay (October 13, 2020)
• “Create Your Terms & What Investors Want to See,” presented to Geekdom San Antonio (July 30, 2020)
• “Return of the Down Round: Financing Amidst a Pandemic,” panelist for a webinar in partnership with Innovate Finance (July 28, 2020)
• “Preparing for a Venture Financing,” presented to Geekdom San Antonio (June 25, 2020)
• “Preparing for a Venture Financing,” presented to Quake Capital Partners, Austin Program (June 18, 2020)
• “Corporate Venture Capital Investing” (April 22, 2020)
• “Considerations for US FinTechs and Emerging Growth Companies in Light of COVID-19,” presented via webinar (April 9, 2020)
• “Term Sheets 101,” presented to The Emerging Venture Capitalist Association (February 27, 2020)
• “Term Sheets 101,” presented at Women@Austin’s Demystifying Fundraising: A Boot Camp for Women Entrepreneurs (February 26, 2020)
• “Corporate Venture Capital Training” (January 29, 2020)
• “Making Sense of Your Cap Table,” presented at the Women@Austin Boot Camp for Women Entrepreneurs (November 19, 2019)
• Hispanic National Bar Association – Annual Conference (September 27-28, 2019)
• Latina Leadership Academy Participant (September 26, 2019)
• “Top Ten Legal Mistakes Made by Entrepreneurs,” presented to CleanTech Open South Central Region (August 13, 2019)
• “Funding 1.0:Get Your Startup Off the Ground,” presented to Geekdom San Antonio (February 20, 2019)
• “Top Legal Mistakes Startups Made and How to Avoid Them,” presented to Founder Institute Austin (November 28, 2018)
• “Venture Financing:Demystifying Convertible Notes and SAFE Financings,” presented at San Antonio Startup Week (October 25, 2018)
• “Starting Your Business – The Legal Perspective” presented to Women@Austin (May 2, 2018)
• 25th Annual Texas Minority Counsel Program (November 8, 2017)
• Council on Legal Education Opportunities, Inc. AIE Southwest Conference (July 26, 2017)
• “Corporate Venture Capital Programs,” presented to the Hispanic National Bar Association Corporate Counsel Division Monthly Meeting (July 9, 2017)
• Hispanic National Bar Association - Corporate Counsel Conference (March 30, 2017)
• Hispanic National Bar Association - Corporate Counsel Conference (March 16, 2016)