Equal equity split As the name suggests, this approach enables each co-founder to get the same number of shares of the company, e.g. a 50-50 split among two founders, etc. It is a common approach among startups and is usually adopted when each founder will be considered to contribute equally to the company's growth.
Here's a general breakdown for early-stage companies: Founders: Typically, founders collectively hold 60-70% of the initial equity. Employee Option Pool: Reserving 10-20% for employee options is common. This pool allows for attracting talent, especially in crucial early roles.
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.
On average, startups are reserving a 13% to 20% equity pool for employees. This is important for startups to consider before they pursue series funding or other investments, in which they may be offering percentages of equity to investors.
As a rule of thumb, a non-founder CEO joining an early-stage startup (that has been running less than a year) would receive 7-10% equity. Other C-level execs would receive 1-5% equity that vests over time (usually 4 years).
When your startup is in the initial stages, the founder or the co-founders usually own it entirely, typically in a 50/50 split, or 60/40, depending on various conditions. As you grow, equity is distributed among those who contributed to fund your startup, give you advise, or develop your product/service offerings.
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.
When you do your first Equity round in the future the investor will ensure aside from the few founders who own all of the stock at the beginning - they will want a pool of about 12%-15% at least available for employees.
Founders typically give up 20-40% of their company's equity in a seed or series A financing. But this number could be much higher (or lower) depending on a number of factors that we will discuss shortly. “How much equity should we sell to investors for our seed or series A round?”
On average, startups are reserving a 13% to 20% equity pool for employees. This is important for startups to consider before they pursue series funding or other investments, in which they may be offering percentages of equity to investors.