Startup Starter Pack ⚡
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Collection of model legal documents for typical startup setup and fundraising needs.
The problem, as Brad Feld points out, is that nobody has done the work to get all the various players in the room and standardize on one form. . . I guess it's like open source software in that there are many flavors of it out there. One project might choose MongoDB for their project. Another might choose Cassandra. A third might choose Hadoop. All will get the job done and all are open source. But each one has its strengths and weaknesses and there is no standard. That's ok with me as long as everyone understands it.
Fred Wilson, AVC
Listed resources should include (as available):
Brief explanation
/ / Template(s) for fast deployment, e.g., , , ,
for further reference.
Tailored sets of agreements for common startup needs 🚀 deployed via :
💪Get serious 📋 : This form consists of a short and simple founders' agreement that lays out the most basic structure for collaborating on a new idea or project that may develop into a company.
🤞Get square 📋 [NVCA Code of Conduct Policy]()) / / open-source project alt: 📋
🧥Get form 📋 : This LLC Formation package includes simple forms for: (i) , and (ii) [Operating Agreement]()).
💡Get advice 📋 [Founder Advisor Standard Template (FAST)]()) / / general alt: 📋
🤐 Get confidential 📋 [Mutual Non-Dislosure Agreement (NDA)]()): This form consists of a simple NDA to structure a confidential relationship between two parties (often used to protect trade secrets or other proprietary information).
🌱Get seed capital: 📋 / / equity alt: 📋 ['Series Seed' Term Sheet (Equity)]()) / 📋 / 📋
🏗️Get incorporated 📋 [Corp. Package (Delaware)]()): This Corp. Package includes simple forms for: (i) , (ii) , (iii) , (iv) , and (v) .
💻Get online 📋 : This Website Package includes simple forms for: (i) , and (ii) .
Ongoing sourcing of model forms for comparison and combination into "Starters" sets 👆:
A simple, plain English, short document that lays out the most basic structure for collaborating on a new idea or project that may develop into a company.
📋 Certificate of Incorporation:
A Certificate of Incorporation is a document submitted by a business within the state it wishes to be headquartered. For example, a Delaware company only exists after the Secretary of State has received a company’s certificate of incorporation. Usually, this document is short because there are only a few requirements for it to provide enough information to the state.
📋 Bylaws:
📋 Operating Agreement:
Y-Combinator forms:
Developed by the Founder Institute to encourage collaboration between entrepreneurs and other domain experts to build meaningful and enduring technology companies. FAST allows any mentor, any advisor or any domain expert to quickly engage with and assist a fast growing technology company at any stage using fair terms for preset equity compensation.
[WIP]
The IPA is a new way to do patent assignment that keeps control in the hands of engineers and designers. It is a commitment from Twitter to our employees that patents can only be used for defensive purposes. We will not use the patents from employees’ inventions in offensive litigation without their permission. What’s more, this control flows with the patents, so if we sold them to others, they could only use them as the inventor intended.
A Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) essentially creates a confidential relationship between two parties and is often used to protect trade secrets or other proprietary information.
NVCA Sample Code of Conduct Policy for a Company/Firm to Adopt; per NVCA, reflects "the work product of a coalition of venture capital firms, H.R. professionals, and legal/employment professionals."
A common form of 'Code of Conduct' for open-source collaboration.
Generalized ToU adapted from OpenLaw.io website.
Generalized Privacy Policy adapted from OpenLaw.io website.
In 2015, Y Combinator open sourced its sales template for the benefit of all startups. The sales template here is specially tailored for software-as-a-service (SaaS) startups – i.e. companies who charge for cloud software on a subscription basis.
[WIP]
NO ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP OR LEGAL ADVICE: Communication of information by, in, to or through this project and your receipt or use of it (1) is not provided in the course of and does not create or constitute an attorney-client relationship, (2) is not intended as a solicitation, (3) is not intended to convey or constitute legal advice, and (4) is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney.
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/ / / / / / [OpenLaw Template]())
: a standardized set of legal documents that can be quickly and easily deployed for a seed investment round. Startup Starter Pack utilizes Cooley LLP's "Series Seed Fork" from the , as this set reflects more recent updates.
: a set of model documents for an angel or seed financing in the $250k-$2M range (represents “light” preferred equity financing and has very simple terms that are generally “balanced” but if anything lean toward the entrepreneurs and represents a great deal of trust in them).
: a set of Series AA Equity Financing Documents originally created for YC-funded startups to use when raising equity rounds with angels, with the goal of making these financings easier and more streamlined for both sides.
: a "template" set of model legal documents for venture capital investments put together by a group of leading venture capital attorneys.
See also, CooleyGO,
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[Mutual Non-Dislosure Agreement (NDA)]())
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If you are an attorney, software developer, or both, your comments would be welcome. You can propose changes through GitHub or can contact me through other channels - see the file for details.
This project is licensed under MIT - see the file for details.
