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Non-Compete Clause

Do Non-Compete Clauses Still Hold Up in Startup Employment Agreements in 2026?

Business Law /

Do Non-Compete Clauses Still Hold Up in Startup Employment Agreements in 2026? You hire a strong engineer. A few months later, she leaves and joins a competing company. You immediately think about the non-compete language inside the employment agreement and assume the company is protected. The reality is much less straightforward. Over the last several […]

Do Non-Compete Clauses Still Hold Up in Startup Employment Agreements in 2026? Read More »

Single and Double Trigger Acceleration

What Is Single and Double Trigger Acceleration and Should I Push for It?

Business Law /

What Is Single and Double Trigger Acceleration and Should I Push for It? You sign a term sheet, review your equity documents, and your lawyer asks a question that catches you off guard: “Do you want single trigger or double trigger acceleration?” Many founders nod and continue the conversation without fully understanding what the provision

What Is Single and Double Trigger Acceleration and Should I Push for It? Read More »

Phantom Equity Plan

What Is a Phantom Equity Plan and Is It Right for My Growing Team?

Business Law /

What Is a Phantom Equity Plan and Is It Right for My Growing Team? You want key team members to participate in the company’s upside. But there is a problem. Maybe investors want the option pool kept small. Maybe the person is an independent contractor who cannot receive traditional employee stock options. Maybe international hiring

What Is a Phantom Equity Plan and Is It Right for My Growing Team? Read More »

redemption rights

What Are Redemption Rights and Why Should I Push Back on Them in My Term Sheet?

Business Law /

What Are Redemption Rights and Why Should I Push Back on Them in My Term Sheet? Most founders reviewing a term sheet focus on valuation, dilution, board seats, and liquidation preferences. Then they reach a clause stating that investors can force the company to buy back their shares after a certain number of years if

What Are Redemption Rights and Why Should I Push Back on Them in My Term Sheet? Read More »

data room

Is My Company’s Data Room Ready for Series B Due Diligence?

Business Law /

Is My Company’s Data Room Ready for Series B Due Diligence? Many founders think fundraising slows down because investors lose interest. Often, that is not what happened. The investor is still interested. The problem is that diligence exposed operational gaps that the company should have fixed long before opening the data room. Missing IP assignments.

Is My Company’s Data Room Ready for Series B Due Diligence? Read More »

startup

Does My Startup Need a Shareholders Agreement Before We Raise Money?

Business Law /

Does My Startup Need a Shareholders Agreement Before We Raise Money? Early-stage founders spend a huge amount of time thinking about product, fundraising, hiring, and growth. Very few spend enough time thinking about what happens if the founding team stops agreeing with each other. That usually changes the moment an investor asks a simple question:

Does My Startup Need a Shareholders Agreement Before We Raise Money? Read More »

selling shares

Can I Sell My Own Shares Before the Company Exits? What Founders Need to Know About Secondary Sales

Business Law /

Can I Sell My Own Shares Before the Company Exits? What Founders Need to Know About Secondary Sales Many startup founders spend years building companies while their entire personal net worth stays locked inside private stock they cannot easily access. The company may be growing, fundraising may be going well, and the valuation may look

Can I Sell My Own Shares Before the Company Exits? What Founders Need to Know About Secondary Sales Read More »

fundraising law

What Changed About SEC Private Fundraising Rules in 2026 and What Does It Mean for My Round?

Business Law /

What Changed About SEC Private Fundraising Rules in 2026 and What Does It Mean for My Round? A lot of founders assume private fundraising rules stay relatively stable once they understand the basics of Regulation D, accredited investors, and crowdfunding exemptions. That assumption became risky in 2026. Over the past year, Congress, the SEC, and

What Changed About SEC Private Fundraising Rules in 2026 and What Does It Mean for My Round? Read More »

investors

What Is a Pay-to-Play Provision and What Happens to My Investors Who Don’t Follow On?

Business Law /

What Is a Pay-to-Play Provision and What Happens to My Investors Who Don’t Follow On? Startups often discover who their real supporters are during difficult fundraising environments. An investor who was highly engaged during the first round may suddenly disappear when the company needs follow-on capital. No commitment. No clear answer. Just silence. The problem

What Is a Pay-to-Play Provision and What Happens to My Investors Who Don’t Follow On? Read More »

employee

What Is My Employee’s Option Exercise Window After They Leave the Company?

Business Law /

What Is My Employee’s Option Exercise Window After They Leave the Company? An employee spends years helping build a startup. They vest stock options, contribute to growth, and leave believing they own something valuable. Then they discover they have only 90 days to exercise their options after leaving the company. Suddenly, they are facing: Many

What Is My Employee’s Option Exercise Window After They Leave the Company? Read More »

startup

How Do I Protect My Startup’s IP in Multiple Countries Before It’s Too Late? 

Business Law /

How Do I Protect My Startup’s IP in Multiple Countries Before It’s Too Late?  You filed your patent in the U.S. and assumed your IP was protected. Then you discover a competitor overseas selling a similar product in a market you planned to enter and realize your U.S. filing does not actually protect you there.  That situation

How Do I Protect My Startup’s IP in Multiple Countries Before It’s Too Late?  Read More »

startup business

Can I Sell My Startup Investment on the Secondary Market Before There Is an Exit? 

Business Law /

Can I Sell My Startup Investment on the Secondary Market Before There Is an Exit?  A lot of startup investors are sitting on significant paper gains with no clear path to liquidity.  The company may be doing well, but without an IPO or acquisition, those shares can remain illiquid for years.  So can you sell your

Can I Sell My Startup Investment on the Secondary Market Before There Is an Exit?  Read More »

angel investor

What Rights Should I Be Asking for as an Angel Investor in a Seed Round? 

Business Law /

What Rights Should I Be Asking for as an Angel Investor in a Seed Round?  You wrote a check to a startup and the SAFE closed. Now six months later, the company is raising a Series A and you have no idea what is happening inside.  No financials. No board updates. No heads-up that a new round is coming. That is

What Rights Should I Be Asking for as an Angel Investor in a Seed Round?  Read More »

preferred stock

What Is Participating Preferred Stock and How Does It Change My Exit Payout?

Business Law /

What Is Participating Preferred Stock and How Does It Change My Exit Payout? Many founders focus heavily on valuation when negotiating a term sheet. That makes sense. A higher valuation feels like a win. But a strong valuation alone does not determine how much money founders actually receive in an exit. The liquidation preference structure

What Is Participating Preferred Stock and How Does It Change My Exit Payout? Read More »

hiring

Can My Foreign Company Hire US Employees Without Setting Up a US Entity? 

Business Law /

Can My Foreign Company Hire US Employees Without Setting Up a US Entity?  You have a company outside the US. You found a great engineer, salesperson, or operator based in the US. Naturally, your next question is:  “Can we just hire them directly without setting up a US company?”  The short answer: not safely.  Once you

Can My Foreign Company Hire US Employees Without Setting Up a US Entity?  Read More »

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