Tool · short

The FAST Agreement (Founder / Advisor Standard Template)

Founder Institute · Founder Institute (fi.co) Free Intermediate

This is the canonical, industry-standard answer to 'how much equity for an advisor', a free, ready-to-sign template used by tens of thousands of founders and advisors a year. It replaces awkward negotiation with a simple grid that maps engagement level and company stage to an equity number and vesting schedule.

  • Advisor equity is standardized by engagement level (standard / strategic / expert) and company stage, roughly 0.25% to 1%.
  • The template bakes in vesting (typically ~2 years) so a departing advisor doesn't keep unearned equity.
  • It removes the need for custom legal drafting: check a few boxes, sign, and start working.
  • Version 3 (2026) can be localized to jurisdictions beyond the US, including India, without hiring a lawyer.
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It answers 6 questions

  1. How much equity should I give a startup advisor?
  2. As a solo founder, how much equity should I give the first employee or advisor who is helping me before I can pay a salary?
  3. Should I set up a formal advisory board, or just keep a few informal advisors?
  4. How should I handle equity or contracts for a co-founder, advisor, or contractor sitting in a different country?
  5. How do I know when an advisor or mentor relationship has run its course, and how do I gracefully end it?
  6. How do I evaluate whether a well-known name actually adds value as an advisor or is just borrowing my traction for their portfolio?

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