DLA Piper has advised FinLab EOS VC Europe I GmbH & Co. KG on its investment in Spark Change Group Inc. (Spark Change) as part of the second closing of a Series A financing round. The round, led by Barclays, raised a total of more than USD4.5 million. Other investors included Solactive AG.

Spark Change is a technology platform that enables investments in a new class of green financial products that target significant, positive environmental impacts without sacrificing expected returns. The company, with offices in London, Seattle and Boston, helps financial institutions and their clients in finding new ways to achieve their financial goals in a way consistent with the global climate change goals.

FinLab EOS VC Europe I GmbH & Co. KG is a venture capital fund managed by FinLab AG that invests exclusively into projects that utilize the EOSIO open-sourced blockchain software. The USD100 million fund, which was set up by FinLab AG, one of Europe’s largest company builders and investors focused on financial services technologies, and Block.one, the publisher of the blockchain protocol EOSIO, focuses on developing seed- and early-stage-start-ups and providing venture capital for their financial needs.

The DLA Piper team was led by partner Simon Vogel and included senior associate Michael Rebholz (both Private Equity/Venture Capital, Munich). In the US, Corporate partner Mark F. Radcliffe and associate Kyle de Neve also provided advice.