Many believe that an equal split signifies fairness for all and the majority of founders begin with 50/50 equity splits.
In summary, 1% equity can be a good offer if the startup has strong potential, your role is significant, and the overall compensation package is competitive. However, it could also be seen as low depending on the context. It's essential to assess all these factors before making a decision.
Research from Harvard Business School professors also shows that investors are less likely to invest in startups with a flat split. Dividing equity equally may signal that the co-founders aren't willing negotiators or that they're not prepared to risk conflict or disagreement to resolve important issues.
When launching a startup, founders have to decide how many shares to issue at incorporation. While most startups authorize 10 million shares, the number of shares issued to founders will depend on factors such as the size of the employee pool, the need for additional reserves and the number of founders.
Many believe that an equal split signifies fairness for all and the majority of founders begin with 50/50 equity splits.
Different ways to split equity among cofounders Equal splits. Weighted contributions. Dynamic or adjustable equity. Performance-based vesting. Role-based splits. Hybrid models. Points-based system. Prenegotiated buy/sell agreements.
If you started as a solo-founder and have made progress on the business (especially if you've already raised), you should consider a something along the line of an 80/20 split of founder shares. In fact, the range I'm seeing is anywhere from 5-20% for the 2nd co-founder.
Example: A founding engineer may earn anywhere from 50-80% of the salary of their big-tech counterparts but can receive up to 2% or more ownership of the startup. This equity compensation comes with significant risks due to the high possibility of startup failure.
If you started as a solo-founder and have made progress on the business (especially if you've already raised), you should consider a something along the line of an 80/20 split of founder shares. In fact, the range I'm seeing is anywhere from 5-20% for the 2nd co-founder.
As a company proves itself through growth and funding rounds, the risk lowers over time and equity typically decreases proportionally, too. Employees so early on they become co-founders can get anywhere from 49.9% to 5%, much higher than other early employees.