Archive for category: Foreign Investment

The Treasury Department recently released the long awaited final rules implementing the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), and they go into effect February 13, 2020. Through FIRRMA, Congress gave CFIUS significant new powers to police investments into certain U.S. companies and has made CFIUS highly relevant in the startup ecosystem. CFIUS’s power was demonstrated in recent high-profile cases that forced Chinese investors to divest of holdings in Grindr, PatientsLikeMe, and Musical.ly. The combination of CFIUS interest in data rich companies and their expanded authority over non-controlling investments means the agency will be a player in the startup ecosystem going forward. Read more

VCs and entrepreneurs continue to be impacted by new foreign investment scrutiny. In August, the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) delivered enhanced powers to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), a U.S. government entity that has been called the “ultimate regulatory bazooka” for its ability to reject foreign investment for national security reasons. Recently, NVCA members and startups heard from CFIUS leaders at our Emerging Technology Meets National Security conference. That included the Treasury Department’s Heath Tarbert, who leads FIRRMA implementation and has a major role in how the new powers will impact the venture industry going forward. Read more