Susanna Stanfield

Susanna advises on venture capital transactions, acting for both companies and investors including fundings qualifying for EIS and bridging financing involving convertible loans and advance subscription agreements and due diligence.

• Acted for a Cambridge-based venture capital fund in respect of its high-profile later-stage investment into a leading quantum computing company.
• Acted for a global leader in sustainability technology for consumer good brands in respect of its equity funding rounds led by UK and European venture capital funds.
• Acted for a health tech fund in respect of its series seed funding into a company developing AI-driven clinical medical devices.

Susanna advises on a broad range of corporate matters, ranging from company formation to complex multi-jurisdictional company restructuring, general corporate counsel, mergers and acquisitions, and share options.

• Acts for a Cambridge-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company as general corporate counsel, advising on its multi-jurisdictional share option schemes.
• Acts for a $75m seed fund, focusing on education technology as general corporate counsel as well as advising on seed investments.
• Acted for a venture capital-backed marketing tech high-growth company in respect of its sale to a high-profile US social networking platform.
• Acted for many high-growth technology companies in the UK in respect of setting up and advising on share option schemes to include EMI and CSOP schemes, growth shares, and sub-plans for group structures.

Susanna advises on university spinouts to support scientifically rich companies and their founders and advises accelerators who run startup programmes.

• Acted for several spinouts in healthcare, life sciences, and physical sciences sectors from Imperial College including a high-profile spinout focussing on RNA vaccine technology.
• Acted for a biotech spinout from a university based in the UK in respect of its intellectual property licence with the university and its significant venture capital funding from European investors.
• Advised the founders of a drug discovery Cambridge University spinout for a rare molecular disease on their personal position and shareholding in this spinout and subsequent venture capital funding round.
• Advised several accelerators, including in Cambridge and Oxford, who provide mentor and training programmes for entrepreneurs and early-stage companies that are innovation-driven or scientifically rich in respect of their corporate governance and funding arrangements and their template investment documents for the spinouts.

Susanna advises high-growth companies and investors in the life sciences and healthcare sectors.

•  Acted for a health tech fund in respect of its series seed funding into a company developing AI-driven clinical medical devices.
• Acted for UK-based venture capital fund focussing on seed investments in respect of its early-stage investment into a health tech startup to expand its cross-border elderly care online platform.

Susanna advises on transactions involving technology and innovation-driven businesses.

• Acts as general corporate counsel for a UK-based online art marketplace, including advising on corporate restructuring, general corporate governance, and venture capital funding rounds.
• Acts as general corporate counsel for an online marketplace for vintage and antique furniture, including advising on venture capital funding and general corporate governance.
• Advised a London-based company that develops AI software for smart home and security cameras on its Series A funding round from UK and US venture capital funds and high-net-worth individuals.

Recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Partner for Venture Capital 2026

Recognised by Chambers UK for Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment 2021–2026

“Susanna is great to work with.” – Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession

“Susanna is excellent and very kind.” – Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession

“Susanna is a preeminent lawyer in the UK venture capital market and a trusted adviser.” – Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession

Member of the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) (now called UK Private Capital) core working committee for the model documents for early-stage investments. She has co-authored these model documents for the last 10+ years.

Susanna is pursuing a Masters in Studies (MSt) in History (part-time) at Cambridge University and is a member of Selwyn College. Her research area is the history of venture capital in Cambridge.