An operation in France is framed. We lead your entry there.
Target sourcing, structuring of operations, due diligence led by intellectual property, coordination with local specialists. Run from New York, by a Franco-American Attorney, in English and French.
What American funds do not yet see.
France presents a rare convergence: a fragile economic environment, a top-tier technology ecosystem, and a tax framework favourable to intellectual property. For American acquirers, the window is narrow.
A market in need of acquirers
500,000 French SMEs will come up for transmission in the coming years. The founding generation born between 1955 and 1965 is handing over. French successors are scarce, valuations are contracting. Unprecedented market depth for American build-up strategies.
Undervalued intellectual property assets
French SMEs and mid-caps frequently carry patent portfolios, industrial know-how and R&D teams whose value is not reflected in their accounts. Local transactions ignore these dynamics. Hidden margins invisible in local valuations.
The IP Box tax advantage
10% corporate tax rate applied to revenues derived from intellectual property, versus the 25% standard rate. The lowest in Europe. Direct impact on the valuation multiple, often overlooked in acquisition offers.
The need for a Franco-American relay
The opportunity requires an active investment banking network, sector expertise, regional access. And simultaneous mastery of both jurisdictions, both tax regimes, both M&A practices. Coordination impossible for a generalist American firm or a French firm operating on a fund's timeline.
Recent operations.
Funding rounds, corporate structurings, acquisitions of intellectual property assets. Browse recent matters, organised by category of operation.
Three ways to engage.
Acquire a French SME
Sourcing of targets through an active investment banking network. Sell-side mandates and direct access to founders in the pre-sale phase. Deal structuring, due diligence led by intellectual property, negotiation. From the LOI to closing.
Set up in France
Formation of the legal entity (SAS, SARL or holding vehicle depending on tax constraints). Regulatory coordination. Mobilisation of sector expertise: employment law, administrative law, GDPR compliance. The point of contact remains a single one.
Invest in an IP-intensive target
Diligence of the patent portfolio. IP Box eligibility audit. Valuation of intangible assets. Structuring of the equity investment. Direct tax leverage: 10% versus 25% corporate tax differential.
A structured approach, calibrated to your stakes.
Whatever the size, every engagement follows the same progression. No action is undertaken until the scope is set.
An in-depth first exchange to understand your situation, your assets and your objectives. Not a sales call, a substantive conversation. Initial consultation at no charge, 30 minutes, EN or FR.
A documented diagnostic with prioritised recommendations: what is urgent, what is strategic, what can wait. Written quote or scope agreed before any start of work.
Implementation, drafting, filing, negotiation. A single point of contact, in France as in the United States. Regular progress updates, clean final deliverable.
An in-depth first exchange to understand your situation, your assets and your objectives. Not a sales call, a substantive conversation. Initial consultation at no charge, 30 minutes, EN or FR.
A documented diagnostic with prioritised recommendations: what is urgent, what is strategic, what can wait. Written quote or scope agreed before any start of work.
Implementation, drafting, filing, negotiation. A single point of contact, in France as in the United States. Regular progress updates, clean final deliverable.
An in-depth first exchange to understand your situation, your assets and your objectives. Not a sales call, a substantive conversation. Initial consultation at no charge, 30 minutes, EN or FR.
A documented diagnostic with prioritised recommendations: what is urgent, what is strategic, what can wait. Written quote or scope agreed before any start of work.
Implementation, drafting, filing, negotiation. A single point of contact, in France as in the United States. Regular progress updates, clean final deliverable.
Romain Waïss-Moreau.
Intellectual property and corporate law
Romain Waïss-Moreau practised for 13 years at leading firms before establishing his own Law firm. He works at the intersection of corporate law and intellectual property, for founders, executives and investors whose operations span France and the United States.
- Intellectual property is not a specialist subject, it is a matter of governance.
It determines the value of a company more durably than most of its other assets. It deserves the same attention as a shareholders' agreement or a financing plan.
- A French IP practice that ignores the American market today gives incomplete advice.
The two jurisdictions illuminate one another. The strength of an IP portfolio is measured less and less on one side only.
- The role of the Attorney is to make trade-offs explicit before they are signed.
Corporate law has no reason to remain unreadable to those it serves. An executive who decides with full understanding makes better decisions than one who defers.
An intellectual property perimeter can be diagnosed in thirty minutes of conversation.
You set out your situation. We identify what structures your perimeter, what weakens it, and which decision should be taken first.
