Question 1

What is Eco Ventures Counsel (“EVC”)?

Accepted Answer

EVC is a new legal pro bono programme through which leading law firms provide top-quality free full-service legal support, and a leading IP firm provides bespoke IP support, to eligible early-stage greentech ventures and planet-positive social enterprises and charities (collectively, “Eco Ventures”) across the UK in annual cohorts.

UK Cohorts 1 to 4 launched in 2025 and 2026, with 56 ventures supported so far. Applications for UK Cohort 5 opened on 3 August 2026 and the cohort will launch in October 2026.

Question 2

What are the benefits of the programme for Eco Ventures?

Accepted Answer

- Twelve months of top-quality free full-service legal support, helping Eco Ventures to create robust companies by: (i) implementing strong corporate governance and employment practices; (ii) understanding and protecting IP; and (iii) negotiating commercial contracts and pre-seed/seed fundraising rounds, to name but a few.- Bespoke IP support from a leading IP firm including a free IP health check and advice on steps for the Eco Venture to take to improve its IP position.

- Free access to DealCentre AI, the leading virtual data room platform, provided by SS&C Intralinks.

- Legal training sessions on key issues such as commercial contracts, NDAs, employment, fundraising, IP and more!- Visible support from leading law / IP firms (and use of DealCentre AI) will boost Eco Ventures’ professional credibility.- Learn how to deal with lawyers and corporate stakeholders generally.- Can be inspired by, learn from and network with like-minded change-making Eco Ventures.

Question 3

When will the next EVC cohort start?

Accepted Answer

EVC UK Cohort 5 will start in October 2026.

Question 4

How is the EVC programme structured?

Accepted Answer

Eco Ventures apply to join a cohort of the EVC programme (see the "Applying to EVC" section of the FAQs) and selected ventures are matched with an EVC member law firm.
Eco Ventures accepted into an EVC cohort are allocated a specific EVC member law firm for the duration of the cohort. The EVC member law firm will assemble a dedicated team of specialist lawyers who will provide 12 months of free expert advice during an annual cohort.

Each EVC law firm team typically has lawyers covering four core areas (as needed): (i) corporate governance and fundraising; (ii) commercial contracts; (iii) employment; and (iv) IP. As needed, teams will also cover other areas such as data protection/privacy, tax and regulatory compliance.Each Eco Venture typically has a primary contact from their law firm who will coordinate the law firm’s legal advice to the Eco Venture. Ventures will also receive optional bespoke IP support from a leading IP firm, and can elect to receive free access to the leading DealCentre AI virtual data room to assist with a fundraising round.

Question 5

How much legal support will Eco Ventures receive during an annual cohort?

Accepted Answer

Free full-service legal support potentially worth £10,000s up to £100,000s will be provided to each Eco Venture during an annual cohort. Law firms also run monthly virtual training sessions during the programme on core legal issues such as commercial contracts, NDAs, employment, fundraising, IP and more!

Question 6

Are there any limits to the legal support provided in the programme?

Accepted Answer

- The programme is designed to provide free full-service legal support for Eco Ventures as far as reasonably possible. Each EVC member law firm will support its Eco Venture(s) where it can and will escalate to EVC any legal matters for any of its Eco Ventures that it cannot assist with so EVC can then refer the matters to the other EVC member law firms (or other firms friendly to the programme).- We may not be able to advise on any Eco Venture's contracts/disputes with certain  organisations supporting the venture (e.g. incubators, accelerators, venture builders or university innovation hubs) without the organisation's prior written consent (such consent to be requested, or not, by EVC in its sole discretion).- We will not provide legal support for the personal affairs of any individuals connected to an Eco Venture.

Question 7

Will any non-legal support be provided in the programme?

Accepted Answer

Eco Ventures included in an EVC cohort receive free access to DealCentre AI, a top-tier virtual data room platform provided by SS&C Intralinks, the world's leading virtual data room provider. Eco Ventures can use this platform for fundraising and dealmaking.Non-legal experts will give talks on issues such as investment-readiness. Non-legal training may also be offered (TBC).  EVC also runs a few networking events each year where Eco Ventures can network with their cohort members, law firms and other members of the UK climate tech community.

Question 8

Will Eco Ventures need to pay any fees to participate in the programme?

Accepted Answer

Generally not. The legal advice from the law firms will be free.The only fees payable by Eco Ventures will be to their IP firm (i) for substantive support provided by the IP firm after the initial free IP health check and advice and (ii) any fees that must be ultimately paid for by Eco Ventures, e.g. patent search/application filing fees.

Question 9

Who are the law / IP firms providing the free legal and bespoke IP support in EVC UK Cohort 5?

Accepted Answer

A range of leading law firms will provide free full-service legal support, with a leading IP firm providing bespoke IP support.

An EVC cohort typically comprises existing and new EVC member law firms and one of our member IP firms. The EVC UK Cohort 5 firms will be announced in the EVC UK Cohort 5 launch announcement in October 2026.

Question 10

What nature/scope of involvement is expected from Eco Ventures during an annual cohort?

Accepted Answer

EVC is not an incubator, accelerator or venture building programme, so we do not offer a bootcamp or anything similar. Rather, we provide Eco Ventures with a team of legal experts to assist with their legal needs during the annual cohort. Eco Ventures should send all their legal queries to their EVC legal team save in exceptional circumstances (see further detail below on exclusivity of legal support).Each EVC cohort also includes recommended (optional) legal training and possibly non-legal talks/training too.

Question 11

How should Eco Ventures interact with their law / IP firms?

Accepted Answer

Eco Ventures are expected to treat the programme and their lawyers respectfully and professionally, e.g. requesting advice in reasonable timeframes and responding to information requests/e-mails from their legal team in a timely fashion.

Eco Ventures accepted into the programme attend a mandatory onboarding session and are expected to comply with an EVC Venture Induction Guide that sets out in more detail (i) what EVC and its member law / IP firms expect from Eco Ventures and (ii) what Eco Ventures should expect from their law / IP firms.Whilst most meetings between Eco Ventures and their EVC law firm will be virtual, Eco Ventures are encouraged to try to meet their legal team in person at least once to help to build a close working relationship.

Question 12

Can Eco Ventures receive legal support from other sources during an annual cohort?

Accepted Answer

Given the extent of legal support provided through the programme, Eco Ventures are expected to obtain all their legal support exclusively through EVC during the annual cohort, save for exceptional circumstances such as: (i) existing work being done by another law firm outside the programme; or(ii) legal matters being addressed outside the programme where neither the supporting EVC legal team nor another EVC-approved law firm can assist. Any queries from Eco Ventures about whether any specific legal support is in-scope or out-of-scope for the EVC programme should be first discussed with the Eco Venture’s primary contact at their law firm or with EVC.The IP support provided through the Eco Ventures Counsel programme is optional (see further below).

Question 13

Can Eco Ventures receive IP support from other sources during an annual cohort?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the level of IP support through EVC differs from the level of legal support.

We appreciate that Eco Ventures may already receive IP support from an IP firm and we do not expect Eco Ventures to relinquish that relationship. Therefore, any IP support provided through the EVC programme is optional.

Eco Ventures who already have IP support may wish to receive a “second opinion” on their IP position through a lighter-touch review from our EVC IP firm.

Question 14

What happens at the end of an annual cohort?

Accepted Answer

Eco Ventures will leave the programme at the end of their law firm's 12-month period of legal support (generally connected to the annual cohort they were accepted into) and become EVC Alumni ventures.
It will be at the EVC law / IP firm’s sole discretion as to whether they continue supporting the Eco Venture with any live/ongoing matters once their 12-month support period has ended.EVC Alumni ventures remain part of the EVC community and are invited to EVC events and legal training sessions. Other benefits will be introduced from time to time.

Question 15

Will there be an EVC UK Cohort 6?

Accepted Answer

Yes, EVC UK Cohort 6 will launch in March 2027 (and we will accept applications in December 2026).

Question 16

Who’s behind Eco Ventures Counsel?

Accepted Answer

EVC was founded by Mitesh Jagatia. Before founding EVC, Mitesh was a senior in-house lawyer for 16 years at Sky, Bloomberg and Moody’s, and he also worked in-house at a dynamic tech startup.  Prior to EVC, Mitesh co-created and formerly co-led the award-winning Green Tech Legal Collaborative, supporting early greentech ventures connected to Imperial College London and Undaunted, and he was also a Steering Committee member of the In House Pro Bono Group.

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