Coghlan Duffy + Co advises Sky High Ventures on its successful acquisition of the Boss Air Suspension business

5 May 2020

Sky High Ventures Pty Ltd, an investment vehicle for entrepreneur Tony Stewart, recently completed its acquisition of all of the assets of Boss Air Suspension for an undisclosed amount. Sky High Ventures is a Gold-Coast based manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of premium quality air suspension products and technology.

Coghlan Duffy + Co were delighted to act for Sky High Ventures on its strategic acquisition.

The transaction includes a licence agreement with the US-based brand’s former parent company, Boss Global LLC, together with a long-term lease of the Queensland factory premises where local manufacturing of various air suspension technologies will continue and is envisaged to grow.

Tony Stewart said, ‘We obviously believe in the Boss brand and product lines and the strength of the operations to date. We also believe in Australian manufacturing: producing high-quality products locally and making those available direct to customers. Our plan is to steadily build the business, work with the US-based founders, and make the most of the opportunities that arise.’

The CD+Co team was led by Director, John Coghlan and Senior Associates Zain Kazi and Sarah Ward.

VT Advisory principal, Thomas Palmieri, advised Sky High Ventures on the business and tax aspects of the transaction.

For further information, contact:

John Coghlan | Director
T: +61 3 9614 2444  
E: jcoghlan@cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm based in Melbourne, serving clients from ‘idea to IPO’.

The firm is proud to provide legal strategies and solutions to an enviable list of clients, including prominent Australian start-ups and ASX-listed companies.

A: Level 42, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins St VIC 3000
T: +61 3 9614 2444
W: cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co advises Drawboard on $9M capital raise for US expansion

1 April 2020

Melbourne based start-up, Drawboard, recently released details of its $9M capital raise to facilitate its growth and expansion plans in the US. The investment round was led by US-based VC fund, Blackhorn Ventures and was supported by Steve Baxter’s TEN13.

Coghlan Duffy + Co were delighted to act for Drawboard on this strategic and important capital raise. The CD + Co team was led by Director, John Coghlan, Senior Associate, Zain Kazi and Lawyer, Carolin Darmanin.

Drawboard’s vision is to replace pen and paper, reduce waste and encourage sustainability. With more than one million global users and clients such as Santos and AECOM utilising its two software products, the funds will allow Drawboard to capitalise on broader opportunities in international markets.

Drawboard’s founder, Alistair Michener said in connection with the transaction: ‘this capital raise allows us to grow our presence in the Australian and US markets. The need for remote access and digital collaboration on documents and the movement towards a paper-less office environment is ever-growing – the recent health crisis has forced many businesses to consider how they may be able to work remotely more effectively.’

Speaking about the raise, John Coghlan said that it represented a ‘significant and exciting step in Drawboard’s evolution’ as the business looks, in particular, to capture more of the lucrative US market. ‘We have had the pleasure of acting for Drawboard for nearly 6 years and, in that time, witnessed firsthand their dedication to creating incredible software’, said John. ‘It is no surprise that they continue to grow from strength to strength’.

For more information about this transaction, see the recent article in the AFR.

For further information, contact:

John Coghlan | Director
T: +61 3 9614 2444  
E: jcoghlan@cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm based in Melbourne. The firm is proud to work with an enviable list of clients, including prominent Australian start-ups and ASX-listed companies.

A: Level 42, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins St VIC 3000
T: +61 3 9614 2444
W: cdandco.com.au

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Coghlan Duffy + Co Lawyers advises Founders First Limited on its IPO and ASX listing

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17 December 2019

We are proud to have acted as legal adviser to Founders First Limited’s (Founders First) initial public offering (IPO) and listing on the Australian Securities Exchange which completed today. Founders First’s shares floated under the ASX ticker code ‘FFL’ at $0.50 per share after raising approximately $15.8m (before costs).

The listing demonstrates Coghlan Duffy + Co Lawyers’ (CD+Co) expertise in serving entrepreneurial clients anywhere from ‘Idea to IPO’. In this case, the CD+Co team was there each step of the way: having advised Founders First on its formation in late 2017, subsequent equity investment rounds (raising in excess of $24M), its investments in portfolio craft beverage assets and the IPO.

Many of the CD+Co team have supported Founders First to reach this important milestone: John Coghlan, primarily assisted by Sarah Ward, assisted with the acquisition due diligence and legal documentation relating to the multiple investments and acquisitions undertaken pre-IPO, while Charly Duffy, primarily assisted by Laura Morgan, led the prospectus drafting, due diligence and ASX listing workstreams.

Founders First is a proudly independent and Australian-owned craft beverage accelerator established by a group of leading liquor industry professionals. Founders First invests in select craft beverage assets alongside their founders and accelerates their growth through the operation of world class venues, the provision of capital and sales and marketing, supply chain and management expertise. By listing on the ASX, Founders First is offering shareholders a direct interest in a portfolio of high-growth craft beverage businesses which are poised to benefit from the comprehensive sales, marketing and distribution expertise of Founders First’s ‘Indie Collective’ services team.

Charly Duffy commented: “We are really proud to have worked with the Founders First team as it achieved incredible growth in such a short space of time. To have completed a successful ASX listing in challenging market conditions within 2 years of starting its business is an unbelievable achievement. I’m really proud of how our team combined its comprehensive and practical equity capital markets experience with our M&A expertise to help Founders First achieve this significant milestone.”

Managing Director of Founders First, Mark Haysman, commented: “As a young company with bold plans for growth, listing on the ASX has been a strategically important step for Founders First. Partnering with the team at Coghlan Duffy + Co ensured our journey to a successful listing today has been an informed, prepared and engaged one. I'd like to thank the Coghlan Duffy + Co team for their round-the-clock support, expert advice and hands-on approach to providing counsel and input into the Founders First IPO.”

For further information, contact:

Charly Duffy | Director
T: +61 3 9614 2444  
E: cduffy@cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm based in Melbourne. The firm is proud to work with an enviable list of clients, including prominent Australian start-ups and ASX-listed companies.

A: Level 42, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins St VIC 3000
T: +61 3 9614 2444
W: cdandco.com.au

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Coghlan Duffy + Co advises Amaero International Limited on IPO

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16 December 2019

Amaero International Ltd (Amaero) - an innovative, Australian-based additive manufacturing specialist – has completed its initial public offering (IPO) and listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Coghlan Duffy + Co Lawyers (CD+Co) is proud to have acted as legal adviser to Amaero’s IPO.

Amaero’s shares floated under the ASX ticker code ‘3DA’ at $0.20 per share after completing an oversubscribed offer of shares raising $8m (before costs).

Amaero manufactures large format complex components in metal using laser-based additive manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, builds three-dimensional objects from a computer aided design (CAD) model and adding material layer-by-layer. Amaero uses these 3D printing techniques to make components out of metal alloys for its clients across a range of industries including industrial manufacturing, research & development, aerospace and defence.

Amaero’s business was established with the support of Monash University in 2013 to commercialise the opportunities that had been identified by the Monash Centre for Additive Manufacturing. Amaero now has access to facilities in Melbourne, Adelaide and Los Angeles, California, USA.

The CD+Co team, led by Charly Duffy and assisted by Carlie Hodges and Carolin Darmanin, thoroughly enjoyed working with Amaero in respect of its IPO. The CD+Co team leveraged their in-depth experience with ASX-listed clients in navigating the technical IPO process to a successful outcome.

Charly Duffy commented: “It has been fantastic working with such an innovative and progressive team at Amaero. Additive manufacturing is an exciting emerging space so we were delighted to work with Amaero as legal adviser in relation to its IPO. I am really proud of our team’s dedication and equity capital markets skills which enabled us to deliver a great legal result for Amaero.”

For further information, contact:

Charly Duffy | Director
T: +61 3 9614 2444  
E: cduffy@cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm based in Melbourne. The firm is proud to work with an enviable list of clients, including prominent Australian start-ups and ASX-listed companies.

A: Level 42, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins St VIC 3000
T: +61 3 9614 2444
W: cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co advises Practice Ignition on AUD$26M Series D capital raise led by Tiger Global Management

6 December 2019

We are pleased to have acted for Practice Ignition on its recent AUD$26 million Series D capital raise.

The raise was led by Tiger Global Management and was backed by Right Click Capital and Craig Winkler (co-founder of MYOB and Xero board member).

Practice Ignition’s cloud-based accounting software offers accountants and bookkeepers an alternative way to engage and manage client relationships, allowing them to onboard clients, process payments, automatically raise invoices and deploy workflow via connected third-party apps.

This raise was an exciting development in the Company’s trajectory to date and the Company plans to use the funds to further expand Practice Ignition’s specialist team and build deeper relationships with its ever-expanding global customer base.

The CD + Co team was led by John Coghlan, Director, Sarah Ward, Senior Associate and Laura Morgan, Lawyer.

Tiger Global Management was represented by Gunderson Dettmer, a US law firm, together with Malika Chandrasegaran, Partner and Francine Kinkade, Senior Associate of Herbert Smith Freehills.

For further information, contact:

John Coghlan | Director
T: +61 3 9614 2444  
E: jcoghlan@cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm based in Melbourne. The firm is proud to work with an enviable list of clients, including prominent Australian start-ups and ASX-listed companies.

A: Level 42, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins St VIC 3000
T: +61 3 9614 2444
W: cdandco.com.au

Promotions at Coghlan Duffy + Co

3 May 2019  

The Directors of Coghlan Duffy + Co are delighted to announce that two of our long-term team members have been promoted with effect from 1 May 2019.

Sarah Ward has been promoted to ‘Senior Associate’, while Carlie Hodges has been promoted to the newly created position of ‘Manager – Corporate Governance’ within the firm’s related company secretarial business, cdPlus Corporate Services.

In relation to the promotions, Director, Charly Duffy, said:

‘Sarah is a lawyer with formidable legal skills, while being an excellent mentor and respected leader within the firm. Clients value her tireless work ethic and respect her carefully considered and plain language approach to demystifying the law and how it applies to them’.

‘Carlie is a vital part of the continuing success of cdPlus’ company secretarial business. She has become an excellent mentor to staff, working with our team to develop innovative ways to deliver our unique governance and legal services offering. Carlie is a trusted company secretary and governance adviser to a number of our clients with her pro-active commitment to our clients’ objectives.’

For further information, contact:

Charly Duffy | Director
T: +61 3 9614 2444
E: cduffy@cdandco.com.au

Coghlan Duffy + Co is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm based in Melbourne. The firm is proud to work with an enviable list of clients, including prominent Australian start-ups and ASX-listed companies.

A: Level 42, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins St VIC 3000
T: +61 3 9614 2444
W: cdandco.com.au