Cap Table & Equity

Founder vesting

Founders' own shares vesting over time, so a co-founder who leaves early doesn't walk with a huge stake.

Why it matters

Investors usually require it; agreeing it between co-founders before the company succeeds avoids the ugliest disputes.

Hear it from people who've done it

Get the real-world version of "Founder vesting" drawn from hundreds of conversations with founders and investors.

Go deeper

Pick My Brain with Alan Jones · 12 August 2026

Life After Launch with Megan Luttrell & Geo George · 28 July 2026

Founders in Motion with Thea Ngo · 23 July 2026

Related terms

Equity is earned over time (vesting); a cliff is an initial period you must pass before any of it is yours.

The ledger of who owns what — every shareholder, their share class and their percentage.

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