Practice review: export controls and sanctions screening in tech expansion
A tech product goes global, then realizes a customer or feature may fall under export control. Reviewing screening and compliance flow.
A typical scenario: a tech team expanding overseas realizes only mid-deal that certain features or target customers may fall under export controls or sanctions, forcing a pause.
Points of concern include whether the product contains controlled technology, whether the end user and end use are restricted, and whether the counterparty is on a sanctions list.
The review's point is to move screening upstream into business process: build customer and transaction screening, keep screening records, and add human review for edge cases.
The lesson: export-control and sanctions violations carry severe, cross-border enforcement. Better an extra screening step in acquisition than liability after the fact.