A&O Shearman Unveils Tenth Fuse Cohort Spanning Digital Assets and LegalTech

A&O Shearman has announced the selection of 18 companies for the tenth cohort of its Fuse technology incubator, marking a significant expansion in the program's scope and geographic reach. The 2026 cohort is divided into two streams focusing on digital assets and specialized legal technology, with participants chosen from a record 315 applicants across 53 countries. This initiative underscores the firm's strategy to integrate emerging market infrastructure and AI-driven legal tools into its global practice to meet evolving financial and regulatory demands.

A&O Shearman has selected 18 companies for the tenth cohort of Fuse, its legal technology incubator, split evenly between a digital assets stream and a LegalTech stream. The digital assets track was formed through a client-nominated process involving major institutions such as Barclays, Citi, Coinbase, DTCC, Google, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, and SG-Forge. These companies are focused on building market infrastructure for the digital asset lifecycle, covering areas like settlement, clearing, cross-border payments, and tokenized credit. Shruti Ajitsaria, partner and head of Fuse, stated that the firm’s role is to ensure the legal architecture supporting these scaling markets is robust and fit for the future.

The LegalTech stream was selected from a record-breaking 315 applicants across 53 countries, representing the program's greatest geographic spread to date. These nine companies target specific internal challenges identified by the firm’s lawyers, including AI-powered due diligence, citation checking, legal training simulations, and advanced redaction capabilities. For the first time, the cohort also includes a social impact partner, United for Global Mental Health, reflecting a broadening of the incubator's mission. The selected startups will also work on workflows for investment funds and regulatory intelligence to enhance the firm's service delivery.

The Fuse program, which has supported nearly 100 businesses since its 2017 launch, provides each participant with a seven-month residency and mentorship from an A&O Shearman partner. This mentorship offers startups access to specific subject matter expertise and the firm's extensive global network. Previous cohorts have contributed to advancements in AI risk insurance, cybersecurity, and disputes workflow management. By positioning itself at the intersection of law and finance, the firm aims to support founders who are building the future of global financial infrastructure and legal technology.