A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) lets an investor give you money now in exchange for equity later, when you raise a priced round, without setting a valuation today. It's fast, cheap, and standardized, which is why nearly all YC-style seed rounds use it. Use the official post-money SAFE and understand that post-money means investors' ownership is locked in before your next round dilutes it.
Go deeper, your way
3 hand-picked resources, 3 link-checked. Pick how you want to dig in.
📄 Article
✓ Link checkedFreeIntermediate
Why we picked it
YC's fundraising library collects the canonical explainers on how SAFEs convert, how caps and discounts work, and how they dilute you. The most trustworthy free explanation of the instrument almost every seed round uses.
Why we picked it
The reference primer on the metrics and market-sizing logic investors use, including bottom-up market sizing that keeps founders honest about how big a market really is. Canonical a16z source.
Why we picked it
The primary source for the SAFE itself, plus YC's plain-English primer explaining post-money mechanics. Use the official document, not a random copy, and read the primer before you sign.
