Daniel I. DeWolf
Member / Chair, Technology Practice; Co-chair, Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice
+1.212.692.6223
Daniel is a leading authority on growth companies and venture capital law — and has worked on pioneering online capital-raising methods since the Internet’s beginning. He is immersed in the national and international ecosystem of emerging companies and investors focused on start-ups. He has also been a member of NYU Law School’s faculty since 2003, where he teaches venture capital law. Earlier, he co-founded and served as managing director of an early stage venture capital firm based in New York City.
Daniel is Chair of Mintz's Technology Practice Group and Co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Group. In addition to his active legal practice, he is an adjunct professor of law at the NYU Law School. Daniel is also Editor of MintzEdge, an online resource for entrepreneurs that includes useful tools and information for starting and growing a company.
Before joining Mintz, Daniel was head of venture capital funds and a managing director of SoundView Technology Group, Inc. (formerly Wit Capital), a technology-focused investment bank. Prior to joining SoundView, he was head of the corporate and new media and e-law practice groups at one of the leading New York firms representing early stage and technology companies.
Daniel has more than 35 years of corporate transactional experience, both as a lawyer and as a businessman, and has been an advisor to many emerging and developmental stage companies. He is a board member of several technology companies and was a co-founder and Managing Director of Dawntreader Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm.
Additionally, Daniel is an author of a leading treatise on venture capital called Venture Capital: Forms and Analysis (Law Journal Press, 2007).
Education
- University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD)
- University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Recognition & Awards
- Recommended by The Legal 500 United States for Venture Capital and Emerging Companies (2015 – 2017; 2021)
Involvement
- Adjunct Professor at NYU School of Law
- Guest Lecturer, High-Growth Corporate Transactions, Cornell Law School at Cornell Tech
- Judge, Harvard Business School Business Plan Contest
- Member, Advisory Council to the Public Policy Committee of the Angel Capital Association
Recent Insights
Viewpoints
MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — April 2021
April 27, 2021 |Article
MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — February 2021
February 10, 2021
Private Capital Marketplaces & IPOs
January 21, 2021 |Video
News & Press
Mintz Member, Chair of the firm’s Technology Practice, and Co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Daniel I. DeWolf appeared on FINTECH TV’s Digital Asset Report to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the private marketplaces, digital transformation in the private marketplaces, and venture capital activity and indicators.
Events
Daniel DeWolf is moderating a panel for Young Jewish Professionals called "The Investment Thesis: What Leads VC's to Invest in Your Company" with Frank Rotman, Founding Partner of QED Investors.
Viewpoints
MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — April 2021
April 27, 2021 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
This issue covers the trend of public benefit companies going public, how gig workers may become eligible for equity compensation, a MintzEdge podcast on venture debt, and a spotlight on GroGuru.
Read more
MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — February 2021
February 10, 2021 | | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
This issue covers the increase in the equity crowdfunding cap, a FINTECH.TV interview on the private capital marketplace, a “Mintz Minute” on how to write an executive summary for a start-up company, and a spotlight on Turing Enterprises.
Read more
Private Capital Marketplaces & IPOs
January 21, 2021 | Video | By Daniel DeWolf
Despite COVID-19 and its effects on the global economy, IPOs raised over $150 billion in 2020. In an episode of FinTech.TV’s Digital Asset Report, Vince Molinari interviewed Mintz Member Dan DeWolf, who discussed the outlook for IPOs and investment capital in 2021 and beyond.
Read more
“Gig” Workers May Become Eligible to Receive Equity Compensation
December 15, 2020 | Alert | By Daniel DeWolf, Sanjana Ramkumar
Read about the SEC's proposed amendment to Rule 701, which would permit companies to provide equity compensation to “gig” or “platform” workers, subject to certain conditions.
Read more
MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — December 2020
December 9, 2020 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
This issue covers the SEC’s proposed relief from broker-dealer registration for certain finders, an article on exit options for public benefit corporations, and features on Boston Family Advisors and iAssay System.
Read more
Crowdfunding Expanded; SEC Announces Increase in Amounts Permitted To Be Raised by Crowdfunding
November 11, 2020 | Alert | By Sanjana Ramkumar, Daniel DeWolf
Read about the SEC’s amendment to its capital raising rules for Regulation Crowdfunding to promote capital formation and expand investment opportunities.
Read more
MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — October 2020
October 1, 2020 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
This issue covers the SEC’s expansion of the “Accredited Investor” and “Qualified Institutional Buyer” definitions, an article on vesting for startups, a discussion of founder stock and vesting, and a feature on East Light Partners.
Read more
MintzTech Connect Industry News — June 2020
June 25, 2020 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, the protagonist Atticus Finch tells his son: “One never really understands a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. Unless you take the time to stand in another person’s shoes and see the world from that person’s perspective, we really don’t process very well what others may be saying or feeling. In this challenging time of a global pandemic and national outrage for systemic social injustices, we urge all of our readers to listen (truly listen) to your colleagues and try to understand better what it is like to be in another person’s shoes. Black Lives Matter and it is up to all of us to listen, support each other, and to see how we can make this world better. We have assembled a list of books that may help deepen that understanding and encourage us all to work diligently to build the equitable world we all want for ourselves and our fellow citizens.
Read more
MintzTech Connect Industry News — April 2020
April 21, 2020 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
This edition of MintzTech Connect features articles on the Federal Reserve Main Street Lending Program and the pros and forms of different forms of business entities.
Read more
MintzTech Connect Industry News — January 2020
January 27, 2020 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron
This issue of MintzTech Connect includes tax guidance on the treatment of virtual currencies, a “how-to” for writing gender-neutral agreements, and a podcast on the basics of venture debt.
Read more
News & Press
Private Capital Marketplaces & IPOs
January 7, 2021
Mintz Member, Chair of the firm’s Technology Practice, and Co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Daniel I. DeWolf appeared on FINTECH TV’s Digital Asset Report to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the private marketplaces, digital transformation in the private marketplaces, and venture capital activity and indicators.
Mintz Advises Vida Ventures on $600 Million Vida II Fund
August 05, 2019
Various Ways to Raise Capital
September 13, 2016
Daniel DeWolf, Co-Chair, Venture Capital and Emerging Companies, and Megan Gates, Co-chair of the Securities & Capital Markets Practice Group, authored this VC Experts Blog piece discussing how the world of raising capital has been evolving over the last several years.
Mintz was recently named the exclusive legal sponsor of AREA, a real estate technology venture accelerator program based in New York City. As a sponsor, the firm will offer in-kind legal services to real estate technology startup companies participating in the intensive three-month program.
Yes, E-signatures Are Enforceable
July 12, 2016
Daniel DeWolf, Co-chair of Mintz’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies and Technology Practices, and Associates Sam Effron and Rachel Gholston, authored this VC Experts Blog piece providing a clear overview of the best practices businesses can implement when using electronic signatures.
Events
Moderator
Speaker
Jul
16
2020
[email protected]: Financing Strategies for Emerging Companies in the New Normal
View the Webinar Recording
Moderator
Mar
19
2020
Investing in Energy Transformation [Event to be rescheduled]
Briefing on Power, Technology and Security Strategies
Mintz, 666 Third Ave, New York, NY
Panelist
Speaker
Moderator
Jun
19
2019
Private Tech Investing Success Stories for Family Offices
Mintz, Chrysler Center, 666 Third Avenue, New York
Speaker
Speaker
Apr
3
2019
The First Most Important Decision for the Entrepreneur: How to Choose the Right Corporate Entity for Your Startup
[email protected]
[email protected], 180 Varick St., 6th Floor, New York, NY
Speaker
Speaker
Speaker
Co-chair
Speaker
Moderator
Nov
3
2016