Matias Zegers

Managing Partner

"Matías is known to be one of the founders of the VC legal industry in Chile."

— Chambers – FinTech - 2022

About

Matías Zegers serves as Managing partner of DLA Piper Chile, leading the Corporate and M&A practice group of the firm. He is also a member of the DLA Piper´s Americas Executive Committee.

Matías focuses his practice on Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Governance and Venture Capital. He is considered one of the most experienced lawyers in Corporate Governance and Venture Capital in Chile and in the region, having being consistently recognized as such by multiple rankings and publications.

In M&A, he has advised clients in several purchase and sale operations of public and private companies, both domestic and foreign. He has also participated in tender offers, privatization of electric and sanitary companies in Latin America, debt and equity issuances in the local and international markets, both registered and unregistered.

In Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship matters, he has advised clients in landmark transactions, many of them the first to be closed in Chile. Also, he has significant experience in investment funds and designing innovative solutions to fund venture capital, structuring financing products, and applying for public funds, among others. As one of the leading Chilean attorney in Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship, Mr. Zegers has been a pioneer assisting multiple tech and biotech companies in almost all the relevant verticals of the industry, both start-ups and scale-ups.

Matías is a reference at the regional level of good Corporate Governance practices, advising leading national and regional companies in matters such as boards and committees, directors' responsibilities and their evaluation, manuals and policies, among others.

Matías has developed an extended academic career. He is tenured professor at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile´s Law School and Executive Chairman of the Centro de Gobierno Corporativo UC. He is also member of the Latin American Roundtable in Corporate Governance and TaskForce of Related Parties' Transactions, both of the OECD and board member of the Fundación Carlos Vial Espantoso.

Areas of FocusCorporate Mergers and Acquisitions Public Company and Corporate Governance Emerging Growth and Venture Capital Intellectual Property Private Equity Technology

EXPERIENCE

Mergers and Acquisitions

Beetrack: We advised Beetrack, a Chilean start-up that developed a SaaS (Software as a Service) for fleet management and parcel tracking for shipping and delivery companies, on the sale of their 100% ownership to DispatchTrack, LLC. and DispatchTrack Intermediate, LLC., a US group of companies dedicated to last mile delivery and route optimization.
Talana: We advised the client, a chilean start-up that developed an HR software, on the sale of the majority ownership to Endurance Investments, who bought through a public investment fund created specifically for this investment.
Uber – Cornershop: Advised both clients as joint counsel in the US$3,000 million agreement to acquire fully ownership of Cornershop, by means of the acquisition of the remaining 47% not owned by Uber. This deal is the second step of the previous acquisition of a controlling interest in Cornershop by Uber in 2019 and 2020. Awarded "Deal of the Year 2021" in the category "private M&A" by Latin Lawyer.
Odd Industries: Advised this technology startup on the acquisition by Maderas Arauco S.A., one of Chile's largest companies, of a majority stake in the company.
Colbún: Advise on the acquisition of Efizity, an energy solutions company.
The Coca Cola Company – Andina – Embonor (USA – Chile): Advise on the purchase of 100% of Comercializadora Novaverde S.A.- "Guallarauco" (USD $80 million).

Venture Capital

Odd Industries: Advised in the negotiation, structuring and closing of a US $2,000,000 Series Seed financing round led by local investors.
The Live Green Co.: Advised in the negotiation, structuring and closing of a US $7,000,000 Series Pre-A financing round led by Drads Capital.
Colektia: Advised in the negotiation, structuring and closing of a US$4,200,000 Series A financing round led by Angel Ventures.
Caja Los Andes: Advised on the negotiation, structuring and closing of a Series B financing round for Betterfly.
FIP Fen Ventures II: Advised this local VC firm on its investment, through its private equity fund FIP Fen Ventures II, in 14 Chilean technology companies, based in Chile and abroad: Agenda Pro (2018); Praxis Biotech LLC (July 2020); Andes Ag, Inc (March 2020); Chattigo SpA (February 2020); Get On Board SpA (November 2019); Citysense Co. (February 2020); Migrante Sociedad Financiera SpA (March 2020); Insurtech SpA (today HOUM) (February 2020); Publica.la Chile SpA (August 2020); Colektia Inc. (February 2021), Políglota SpA (February 2021); Enviame Latam SpA (December 2020); Lentes Plus (December 2020) and Mudango Chile SpA (April 2021).

Corporate Governance

Parque Arauco S.A.: Advised on the creation of its corporate governance structure, policies and framework, including the drafting of a Corporate Governance Manual.
Asociación Gremial de Generadoras de Chile: Advised on the evaluation of the functioning of its corporate governance framework.

Financing

CarbonFree Chile SpA: Finance the acquisition and/or development, construction, commissioning, testing, start-up, operation and maintenance of a portfolio of projects consisting of several photovoltaic solar energy projects with an aggregate capacity, once fully constructed and operational, of approximately 225 MW located in Chile. The lender was Deutsche Bank Trust Company AmericasOaktree Capital Management L.P.: Advise the client, as a creditor of Tranche A, for US$1,300,000,000, for the DIP ("Debtor-in-Possession") Financing Contract in Latin America – Awarded "Deal of the Year 2021" in the category "Banking and Finance" by Latin Lawyer.
lands for the development of three solar energy projects.

Languages

Education

The University of Michigan Law School, LL.M. (Master of Laws) 2002

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Law Degree (J.D.), 1994

Law, School of Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 1994

Awards