Aerial

Company Overview

Aerial is a software development company that provides a system of record for startups to manage their corporate information and legal documents. The company was founded to address the challenges faced by startups in organizing and maintaining their critical business information and documentation. Aerial’s platform is designed to streamline the process of collecting, organizing, and cross-referencing essential corporate data and legal documents, making startups “investor ready” and facilitating smoother due diligence processes.

Products Overview

Aerial’s core product is a data room and document management system specifically structured for startups and their legal counsel. Key features of the platform include:

1. Drag & Drop Functionality: Allows users to easily upload documents without manual data entry, labeling, or sorting.

2. AI-Powered Organization: Leverages machine learning to automatically organize uploaded documents.

3. Due Diligence Readiness: Structures information in a way that’s optimized for investor due diligence.

4. Red Flag Reports: Proactively identifies potential issues or gaps in documentation.

5. Real-Time Visibility: Provides up-to-date access to corporate information.

6. Collaboration Tools: Facilitates seamless interaction between startups and their legal counsel.

The platform is designed to serve as a single source of truth for a company’s corporate documents and information, replacing the need for fragmented storage across emails, cloud storage, and desktop folders.

Founding Team

Aerial was co-founded by two individuals with complementary expertise:

1. Doug Logan - CEO and Co-Founder
   • Background: Former attorney with K&L Gates
   • Experience: Has helped hundreds of companies through formation, fundraising, acquisitions, and other corporate processes
2. Michael Li - CTO and Co-Founder
   • Education: Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Princeton
   • Experience: Successfully built and exited a startup, worked as a Wall Street quant, and as a data scientist for big tech companies

Problem and Market Fit

Aerial addresses a significant pain point in the startup ecosystem: the inefficient and often chaotic management of corporate documents and legal information. This disorganization can lead to bottlenecks in growth, increased legal costs, and complications during due diligence processes for funding or acquisitions.

The company’s solution fits into a market where startups need to maintain compliance, prepare for funding rounds, and manage their legal documentation efficiently. By providing a structured, AI-powered platform, Aerial aims to reduce the time and cost associated with these critical business processes.

Business Model

Aerial operates on a tiered subscription model:

1. Launch Tier: Free for early-stage startups that have raised less than $2M.
2. Grow Tier: $250 per month for companies that have progressed beyond the initial stages.
3. Scale Tier: $495 per month for expanding companies, offering custom-built solutions.

This pricing structure allows Aerial to grow with its clients, capturing more value as startups scale and their needs become more complex.

Funding and Runway

The available information does not provide specific details about Aerial’s funding rounds or current runway. However, the company’s pricing model, which includes a free tier for early-stage startups, suggests a strategy focused on user acquisition and growth.

Competitive Landscape

While specific competitors are not named, Aerial positions itself against traditional document management methods such as:

• Generic cloud storage solutions
• Email-based document sharing
• Desktop folder organization
• Traditional law firm document management

Aerial claims to be the only platform that combines machine learning, startup-specific structuring, zero-lift implementation, proactive issue identification, real-time visibility, and cost-effectiveness.

Customers

Aerial’s website showcases logos of several customers and partners, including:

• K&L Gates (law firm)
• MedDefend
• CountOn
• Creative Lab
• USinTech
• Edge Delta
• Hark
• Lane Powell (law firm)
• WeFunder
• Griptape
• Carney Badley (likely a law firm)

These logos suggest that Aerial serves a mix of startups, technology companies, and law firms that work with startups.

Relevant News

As of the information provided, there are no specific news items or press releases mentioned. However, the company maintains an active blog that covers topics relevant to startups, including:

• Legal tech software solutions for law firms
• Intellectual property pitfalls for startups
• Incorporation strategies and state selection
• Co-founder legal issues
• Corporate structure selection (C Corp, S Corp, or LLC)

These blog posts indicate that Aerial is positioning itself as a thought leader in the startup legal and operations space, which aligns with its product offering and target market.