Guides for founders and startups

Practical notes on fundraising, intellectual property, founder equity, and Corporations Act compliance.

Raising on SAFEs: conversion, dilution and key terms to check

Pre-money vs post-money SAFEs, valuation caps, discounts, and how Series A ESOP pool top-ups affect founder dilution on conversion.

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02Intellectual Property

Owning your startup's code: IP assignments, consents and confidentiality

Why paid invoices and implied licences fall short in investor due diligence, and how to put a clear chain of IP title in place for your code and software.

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03Governance

Founder equity vesting, reverse vesting and leaver provisions

Structuring 4-year reverse vesting, 12-month cliffs, good and bad leaver buy-backs, and vesting resets in a Founder Shareholders Deed.

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04Corporations Act Compliance

How to use section 708 disclosure exemptions wisely

Navigating the 20/12 personal offer limit, s 708(8) accountant certificates, the ban on public advertising, and the 50-shareholder cap when raising capital.

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Free legal templates

Coming soon: Australian Founder Shareholders Deed and Company Constitution templates with clause-by-clause drafting notes.

General legal information only: These guides provide general information on Australian law only and do not constitute legal, financial, tax, or employment advice. Reading these guides does not create a solicitor-client relationship with Cloudberry Law.