
The Fuse legal tech / fintech incubator, which is part of A&O Shearman (AOS), is calling for applications to join its latest cohort – the ninth since it launched in 2017 – in both its London and San Francisco offices.
As always, it aims to ‘bring 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 supported ’70 businesses, contributing to advancements in contract automation, AI, data privacy, blockchain, geopolitical risk management, and regulatory compliance’, they said. It’s also developed much more of a fintech and digital currency flavour over the years, but it still keeps a strong core of legal tech companies as participants.
The firm added that ‘businesses which have joined Fuse, have collectively raised more than $1 billion in funding and seen an average increase in the number of employees of more than 300%’.
Plus, in some cases cohort members become regular parts of AOS’s tech stack, such as in the case of Avvoka. I.e. joining Fuse is a very good idea.
And also as always, Artificial Lawyer recommends taking part in incubators like this as they allow the startups to learn very quickly what a leading law firm and its clients really want. That allows for rapid iteration of the product. It also allows access to senior lawyers and sometimes major corporates that might otherwise be hard to reach.
On the firm side, it allows the lawyers to really get to grips with new tech – hopefully with the intention of using it. While on the fintech side, even if the lawyers are not using it, they get to learn what’s at the cutting edge in the financial world in terms of tech and emerging issues.
AOS partner Shruti Ajitsaria, who leads Fuse, said: ‘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. And it’s handy that there is a Fuse base in the Bay Area now, as it will only be a short journey to get to the Legal Innovators California conference this June, 11-12, which is also in San Francisco – see here.

Applications for Fuse are now open and close 5 February 2025, with a formal selection process for shortlisted applicants occurring over two days in March. The selected companies will join Fuse in early May.
Good luck!