A&O Shearman invites applications to join Fuse, its tech innovation center

Launched in 2017, Fuse was the first permanent incubator of its kind in the legal sector. It brings together tech innovators with A&O Shearman’s lawyers and clients to develop transformative solutions to real-world legal, regulatory, and deal-related challenges.

Since its launch, Fuse has received more than 1,000 applications from legal tech companies and has supported 70 businesses, contributing to advancements in contract automation, AI, data privacy, blockchain, geopolitical risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Businesses which have joined Fuse, have collectively raised more than USD1 billion in funding and seen an average increase in the number of employees of more than 300%.

A&O Shearman partner Shruti Ajitsaria who created and leads Fuse said:

She added: “Fuse is recognized as the leading tech incubator in the legal sector, and this is a fantastic opportunity for start-ups through to established leaders in digital transformation to gain rare access to a network of world-class lawyers and our global client base.”

“Every year, we invite applications from legal tech businesses around the world and bring together a select group of participants to solve the issues that we have identified as being our firm’s priority areas of focus. These companies then work day-to-day with our lawyers and our clients to refine their products and services.”

The program lasts for seven months and participants have access to dedicated spaces in London and San Francisco, as well as being able to engage remotely.

The companies selected to participate in Fuse benefit from access to the A&O Shearman network, which includes almost 50 offices across 28 countries as well as an extensive client base.  This global network enables Fuse cohort members to carry out pilots and other trials on a large scale.  

Many cohort members have completed successful funding rounds, gained new clients, and experienced significant growth in size and revenue as a result of their participation in the program.  Some notable recent examples include:

• Jigsaw closed a Series A funding round of USD15 million in April 2024.

• Avokka is currently being used to automate various of A&O Shearman’s documents across multiple European jurisdictions.

• Definely agreed a global license of its solution to a leading financial institution. CEO of Definely, Nnamdi Emelifeonwu, credits Fuse for creating the opportunities that made this possible.

• Three Fuse cohort members participated in a ‘bake-off’ and received feedback on their respective products from more than 90 individuals across the global A&O Shearman network.

Applications will be accepted from January 15 to February 7, 2025 at 12:00pm (U.K. time), with a formal selection process for shortlisted applicants occurring over two days in March. The selected companies will join Fuse in early May.

The application form for Cohort 9 is now available.

More information about Fuse can be found on the website.

Below are quotes from companies who have been part of the Fuse program.