Non-Disclosure Agreement

Also called NDA

A non-disclosure agreement: a contract binding parties to keep shared information confidential. Used before sharing sensitive details with partners, employees, or vendors.

Why it matters

NDAs protect genuine secrets, but founders often overuse them, most investors will not sign one to hear a pitch, and demanding it early signals inexperience. Knowing when an NDA helps and when it just creates friction is the useful part.

For example

Before sharing its roadmap with a potential partner, a startup has them sign an NDA; it does not, however, ask investors to sign one to hear a pitch.

Related terms

Intellectual Property Trade Secret Non-Solicitation

Go deeper

See how founders actually handle this on Co-founders, team and legal, part of the Starting Up hub.

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