ITechLaw Startup Legal Playbook
Fourth Edition 2026
Startup Legal Playbook: A Quick Reference Guide to International Market Entry for Startups (and Their Lawyers) provides startup founders and lawyers with a practical, quick-reference guide to key legal issues startups may face when entering foreign jurisdictions. The Fourth Edition was created to help readers triage important local considerations, better assess potential risks, and ask the right questions before expanding into new markets. Its contributors are ITechLaw lawyers from around the world who work with startups and understand the local legal realities in their jurisdictions. The Playbook is primarily organized by country, with each chapter following a consistent set of questions, and also includes broader overview sections covering topics such as the GDPR and the EU AI Act.
This publication is the result of a years-long effort by the Startup Committee of the International Technology Law Association (ITechLaw). First discussed in 2020, the Playbook was built around a set of foundational questions designed to help startups and their lawyers assess key legal issues when entering new markets. For this Fourth Edition, contributors updated existing chapters and added new jurisdictions, bringing the Playbook to 72 jurisdictions in total. Future editions will continue to add more countries, reflect changes in local laws, and may expand the questions to cover specific industries and regulatory regimes. Contributions for countries not yet included, along with ideas for future expansion, are welcome. We encourage you to share the Playbook with clients and colleagues, including or excluding specific country chapters as needed, and hope the following chapters are helpful as startups continue their push into global markets.
About the Contributors – With contributions from startup-focused lawyers and law firms around the world, the Fourth Edition of the Startup Legal Playbook brings together practical legal guidance across 72 jurisdictions to help founders and their advisors get a stronger starting point for global expansion.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Bird & Bird
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