Team, Co-founders & Legal
Co-founder agreements & equity
Split fairly, vest always, write it down.
How should co-founders split equity fairly?
For most early teams, split close to equal, an even split signals you see each other as true partners, and long-term contribution rarely matches wh...
What is vesting and why do I need a vesting schedule?
Vesting means you earn your shares over time (the standard is 4 years with a 1-year cliff) instead of owning them all on day one. It's the single m...
Should I use a dynamic equity split like Slicing Pie instead of fixed percentages?
Dynamic models like Slicing Pie allocate equity based on actual contributions over time, which is genuinely fairer at the pre-funding grunt stage w...
What must go into a co-founder / founders' agreement in India?
Cover equity split, vesting and leaver clauses, roles and time commitment, IP assignment to the company, decision-making and deadlock resolution, a...
How much equity should I set aside for an ESOP pool for employees?
Carve out roughly 10-15% for an option pool before you raise, so early hires get real ownership without diluting you unexpectedly later. In India, ...
What happens to equity if a co-founder leaves early?
With vesting done right, they keep only what they've earned and the unvested portion returns to the company, which is exactly why vesting exists. W...