Resource Center

Stay in the know with the latest news and expert insights from StartSmart Counsel. Our dedicated team of advisors regularly shares valuable updates, industry trends, and business wisdom to help you navigate the entrepreneurial journey. Explore our curated collection of news articles and blog posts to gain valuable insights and stay ahead in your startup endeavors.

The White House AI Action Plan: Startup Opportunities and the Legal Gap Around Agentic AI
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

The White House AI Action Plan: Startup Opportunities and the Legal Gap Around Agentic AI

In July 2025, the White House released Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan, a national strategy focused on advancing artificial intelligence through innovation, infrastructure, and international leadership. The plan encourages rapid commercialization, public-private collaboration, and the removal of regulatory barriers.

While the benefits for startups and small businesses are significant, especially in infrastructure, deregulation, and export access, the plan notably avoids addressing the emerging legal challenges posed by agentic AI. These are autonomous systems that initiate decisions and actions independently, functioning in ways that raise questions about legal accountability and recognition.

This article examines the structure of the AI Action Plan, its implications for startups, and the unresolved legal status of agentic AI systems that act without direct human control or legal personhood.

Read More
The GENIUS Act of 2025: What Startups and Small Businesses Need to Know About the New Federal Stablecoin Framework
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

The GENIUS Act of 2025: What Startups and Small Businesses Need to Know About the New Federal Stablecoin Framework

The GENIUS Act of 2025 lays the foundation for regulated innovation in stablecoins, with substantial implications for how startups and small businesses approach product development, compliance, and market entry. While it imposes strict regulatory guardrails, it offers unprecedented legal clarity and a dual-path framework (federal and state) that startups can leverage to responsibly scale.

Read More
Crypto Asset ETFs Explained: Why the SEC’s Latest Guidance Matters for DeFi and Tech Founders
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

Crypto Asset ETFs Explained: Why the SEC’s Latest Guidance Matters for DeFi and Tech Founders

On July 1, 2025, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance released a detailed statement clarifying how federal securities laws apply to crypto asset exchange-traded products (ETPs). While the statement is highly technical, its implications are profound, not only for institutional investors and traditional financial firms but also for decentralized finance (DeFi) founders, crypto innovators, and fintech entrepreneurs.

To understand why this matters, it is important to first explain what crypto asset ETPs are, why they are significant, and how this guidance reshapes the regulatory landscape for the next generation of digital asset products.

Read More
YouTube’s July 2025 Demonetization Policy Update: A Scholarly Analysis of Authenticity in Platform Governance
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

YouTube’s July 2025 Demonetization Policy Update: A Scholarly Analysis of Authenticity in Platform Governance

On July 15, 2025, YouTube announced a policy update that, while labeled “minor,” reflects deeper normative shifts in the governance of digital platforms. Specifically, the company renamed its longstanding “repetitious content” policy to “inauthentic content” and clarified that the policy encompasses content that is repetitive or mass-produced. Importantly, YouTube emphasized that this type of material has always been ineligible for monetization under its existing policies, which reward original and authentic contributions. The change does not affect the separate reused content policy that applies to commentary, clips, compilations, and reaction videos.

Read More
Crypto Meets the Mortgage Market: What Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s New Crypto Directive Means for DeFi and Tech Founders
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

Crypto Meets the Mortgage Market: What Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s New Crypto Directive Means for DeFi and Tech Founders

In a groundbreaking development for U.S. financial markets, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency holdings as part of homebuyers’ asset profiles when assessing mortgage risks. Announced by FHFA Director William Pulte on June 25, 2025, this directive instructs the two government-sponsored mortgage giants to draft proposals for including crypto assets as part of borrower reserves, without requiring their conversion into U.S. dollars. Only assets held on U.S.-regulated centralized exchanges will qualify under this framework, ensuring alignment with federal compliance standards.

Read More
The Tokenization of Securities: Key SEC Statements and Takeaways for Tech Founders
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

The Tokenization of Securities: Key SEC Statements and Takeaways for Tech Founders

On July 9, 2025, SEC Commissioner Hester M. Peirce issued a statement titled “Enchanting, but Not Magical: A Statement on the Tokenization of Securities,” offering critical insights into how U.S. securities laws apply to blockchain-based tokenization. Just two months prior, SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins delivered the keynote at the Crypto Task Force Roundtable, outlining a vision for a more rational, innovation-friendly regulatory framework for crypto assets.

Read More
Self-Sponsorship Under the New H-1B Rules: A Strategic Guide for Startup Founders
Jennifer Newton Jennifer Newton

Self-Sponsorship Under the New H-1B Rules: A Strategic Guide for Startup Founders

The 2025 H‑1B policy update marks a transformative moment for international founders looking to build businesses in the U.S. With self-sponsorship now permitted for majority owners, entrepreneurs can take control of their visa path. However, success requires careful planning, robust documentation, governance structures, and an attorney’s guidance.

Read More

Book a Call Today!

Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys today.