Akansha Gill: Helping Startups Reach New Heights
Meet Akansha Gill, BVNZ’s New Legal & Compliance Coordinator. Legal and compliance can be a headache for startups and VCs, from managing risks and record-keeping to strengthening governance. From setting documentation up to be legally compliant, to supporting founders new to governance in their role as board director, Akansha is here to help.
As Legal and Compliance Coordinator Akansha provides the startup companies in the Bridgewest incubator with legal advice and support to comply with regulatory and contractual requirements.
“Compliance is critical for startups to establish sound operational practices and by prioritising it early on lay a solid foundation for business hygiene. It’s really important to have everything in order.”
Akansha helps founders streamline compliance processes like reporting to authorities, thinking ahead and minimising legal risk as they grow. She says “It’s great to share the lessons learnt between the ventures, which is the benefit of being part of a wider portfolio of globally successful companies.”
Akansha also oversees legal compliance for Bridgewest Ventures, advising our team on reporting required for the different types of businesses we invest in, helping put together our investment agreements, and streamlining our policies and processes. Setting up correct governance and reporting is often the last priority, but it is also the one that can save precious time for founders, and it is about being future ready, rather than constantly being in crisis management.
The next step on a journey supporting investment companies
Originally from New Delhi in India, Akansha is a law graduate, qualified Company secretary from ICSI and a Chartered Governance professional from Governance Institute, New Zealand. She has over eight years of experience working as legal associate and a Company Secretary at both the Law firm and Investment Company, where she was responsible to provide advisory services to ensure compliance requirements, record keeping, coordinating with bankers and external legal counsel to prepare and negotiate the terms of the Investment Agreements. She recalls, “I gained a good understanding of the legal needs of investment businesses and my responsibilities in those roles closely align with my current position at Bridgewest.”
Akansha moved to New Zealand in 2020. She says, “It’s not easy to crack the legal industry here as an immigrant because New Zealand law is very specific and different from what I was accustomed to. I knew I needed to upgrade my qualifications to be relevant in this market, so I worked at a non bank lender company for over 3 years. I pursued my studies to become a chartered governance professional.”
Bridgewest Ventures’ Investment Director Kate de Ridder said “We knew immediately that Akansha would be an amazing addition to our team. She has the right attitude to support early stage startups, with her experience, training and thirst for knowledge, she can help think through the long term risk and benefits of different structures. She is already helping streamline processes across the portfolio, to take the pain out of compliance and sorting out Stock Options!”
Akansha believes you have to be willing to throw yourself into the unknown because it can lead to things you’ve never considered. She says, “I’ve taken that leap a few times, I’m doing it now, and I won't be afraid to do it again.”
“I relate to startup founders because they’re putting themselves out there with their invention and fully committing to its potential.”
Networking is also a priority for Akansha. She says, “New Zealand law is a small community. Everyone knows everyone, and I wanted to meet other legal professionals to understand how business operates, exchange knowledge, and collaborate. I look forward to getting to know my counterparts across VC space.”
Unlimited growth potential
Akansha was attracted to the role of Legal and Compliance Coordinator because it offers her a chance to make it her own. She explains, “I’ve full autonomy to shape this role in a way that elevates Bridgewest’s support for startups to a different level. There’s a lot of responsibility with that; however, I’ve the opportunity to make a real impact, and I thrive on challenges.”
To understand where she can help most, Akansha has been discussing legal and compliance challenges with Bridgewest startup founders and asking where they want to improve their processes most. She says, “I can already see training to educate startups on managing legal risk and establishing sound policies and processes would be highly valuable.”
She’s excited about the growth potential for the startups Bridgewest mentors as well as the potential for her as a legal professional. She says, “I worked for eight years as part of a large team. I learned a lot, and I did a good job, but I didn’t feel like I made a crucial difference. Here I’ve sole responsibility for legal and compliance and I can really add value.”
Contributing to boosting the New Zealand economy
The most exciting thing about Bridgewest for Akansha is meeting so many people doing fascinating things. She says, “The founders we support are building incredible businesses. They’re not just talking about success from an economic point of view, but about how their company contributes to the environment and to society as a whole.”
Akansha notes New Zealand is strong in research but when it comes to productising our discoveries to boost New Zealand’s economy we’re lacking. She says, “I wasn’t aware so much innovation was happening in New Zealand until I joined Bridgewest.”
“The tech I’ve witnessed has so much potential to help New Zealand shine globally. By investing in local innovation, organisations like Bridgewest help nurture local talent to grow here, rather than losing them to other countries. It feels great to know that Bridgewest is contributing to our economy’s positive growth, and I’m excited to play my part.”
Akansha is keen to meet other legal professionals offering support to startups. She’d love to discuss ways to collaborate to help startups to minimise their business risk and grow a strong legal foundation. So, if you’d like to catch up over a coffee, drop Akansha an email at akansha@bridgewest.ventures