Once you're certain the investors offering you a term sheet are a good match, go beyond the obvious. Investment dollars and valuation are critical, of course, but don't overlook important details like option pools, liquidation preferences and the composition of your board.
The key clauses of a term sheet can be grouped into four categories; deal economics, investor rights and protection, governance management and control, and exits and liquidity.
CohnReznick's Beth Mullen looks at several important points in a deal term sheet. Credit delivery amount and timing. Guarantees. Reserves. Year 15 exit options. Implied costs for third-party reports.
6 Tips for Writing a Term Sheet List the terms. Summarize the terms. Explain the dividends. Include liquidation preference. Include voting agreement and closing items. Read, edit and prepare for signatures.
A term sheet is a non-binding document outlining the basic terms and conditions of a potential investment. It serves as a preliminary agreement between the startup and the investor, setting the stage for the more detailed and legally binding documents that will follow, such as the definitive investment agreement.
Although the term sheet itself is not typically legally binding, some term sheets contain certain legally binding provisions (for example, confidentiality or exclusivity).
6 Tips for Writing a Term Sheet List the terms. Summarize the terms. Explain the dividends. Include liquidation preference. Include voting agreement and closing items. Read, edit and prepare for signatures.
Term sheets outline the economics of a deal and the overall governance structure that investors will have in the business to which they are signaling interest. Economic terms outlined in term sheets include company valuation, investment amount, percentage stake, and liquidation preference.
In as little as 500 words, a VC's term sheet lays out the financial terms of the investment, how much your startup will be worth, who will control it and who will profit the most if the company is sold or goes public. The term sheet is akin to a letter of intent.
The term sheet will typically list the amount the company seeks in investments. This may indicate the amount they expect from the particular investment and the entire amount the business seeks from all investors.