Startup Central - Promise Legal Insights

Sign in Subscribe

Startup Central

A collection of 516 posts

AI startup node linked to patent tower by four glowing deal paths on a dark glitchy grid

Intellectual Property & Branding

How to Buy a Patent: Due Diligence, Valuation, and Assignment Guide for Startups

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... When Does It Make Sense to Buy a Patent? Picture an AI startup with real traction — and a real competitive threat. A struggling competitor is winding down, or an independent inventor reaches out with a granted US patent that

Founder reviews clean cap table dashboard on laptop, a control panel replacing messy spreadsheets.

Startup Central

Cap Table Fundamentals: What Every Founder Must Track

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Audience: founders, small‑business owners raising capital, and in‑house or part‑time counsel. In one line: a cap table is the single source of truth for who owns what (and on what terms), and it directly determines control,

Abstract convertible tokens funnel into a cap table stack, metallic grain on charcoal with glitch accent.

Startup Central

SAFEs vs Convertible Notes vs Convertible Bonds: A Startup Founder's Complete Guide

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Why Convertible Instruments Confuse Founders (and Why It Matters) Early-stage founders"especially in AI and fast-moving startup markets"hear about SAFEs, convertible notes, and sometimes even "convertible bonds". But most people never get a clean,

Rose-gold mailbox in scoped circuit ring, cyan access line with subtle magenta glitches

Concepts in Tech for Lawyers

How OAuth 2.0 Actually Secures Gmail Integrations (and Where Things Still Go Wrong)

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Connecting Gmail to CRMs, automation platforms, or AI assistants shouldn’t require users to hand over a password — or leave you storing one. OAuth 2.0 exists to let a third-party app request limited, revocable access to Gmail via

Abstract fresco geometric medallion left, copper lattice links, navy-teal, textured, right space

Startup Central

Who This Guide Is For and Why Cap Tables Deserve Your Attention

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Who This Guide Is For and Why Cap Tables Deserve Your Attention A cap table (short for capitalization table) is a living record of who owns what in your company, on what terms, and how that ownership changes over

Founder silhouette at desk-grid; messy cap table left, ordered right; rose-gold lawyer review arc.

Startup Central

Integrating Legal Review into Carta: A Practical Guide to Accurate, Dispute‑Proof Startup Equity

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Many startups think that once they “move everything into Carta,” equity management is solved. In reality, Carta reflects the inputs you give it; it doesn’t create approvals, fix inconsistent paperwork, or interpret contract language. For background on what

Abstract teal-cream medallion in copper lattice on deep navy, left-weighted with right space

Startup Central

Angel Investor Funding: Why Legal Expertise Is Your Startup’s Best Investment

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... You’re a founder, you’ve finally got momentum, and a friendly angel says, “I’ll wire $25k this week — just send me whatever template you’re using.” It’s tempting to move fast: a quick SAFE, a homemade

Abstract fresco: prismatic vault in navy/teal with copper lattice, right-side negative space.

Digital Presence & Online Policies

Digital Asset Estate Planning Checklist: How to Make Online Accounts Accessible After Death or Incapacity

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Today, a huge portion of your life — and often your money — sits behind usernames, passwords, and two-factor authentication: bank portals, email, photo libraries, subscriptions, and even crypto wallets. When someone dies or becomes incapacitated without a plan, loved ones

Abstract digital fresco: crystalline core left, orbiting vessels, copper lattice; navy/teal/cream on aged paper.

Concepts in Tech for Lawyers

How to Set Up Law Firm Subdomains with Cloudflare and DigitalOcean

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Introduction and goals for law-firm subdomains Law-firm subdomains let you separate functions (client portals, document delivery, intake, knowledge base) without rebuilding your main site. In this guide, we’ll focus on the practical, repeatable steps to publish subdomains like

Asymmetric teal-cream geometric lattice with copper lines on navy fresco, grainy texture, right space

Startup Central

Founder Agreement Template: Equity Splits, Vesting, and IP Assignment Explained

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Why Every Startup Needs a Real Founder Agreement (Not Just a Handshake) Most startups begin on trust and speed. The problem is that the disputes that actually kill companies usually come later — when co-founders realize they were working from

Illustration: founder and counsel refine a cap table with authorized ceiling, roadmap, and pool.

Business Formation & Corporate Governance

Start With the Basics: What Authorized Shares Actually Do (and Don’t Do)

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... When incorporating, founders must set authorized shares very early — often before fundraising, hiring, or a clear cap table exists. A low or awkward count can force charter amendments, delay financings, raise franchise-tax exposure, or leave a messy cap table

Abstract geometric lattice with teal nodes and copper highlights on navy fresco texture, left-focused.

Fundraising & Financial Regulation

Hedge Funds Investing in Startups: A Legal Playbook for Growth-Stage Companies

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Intro Hedge funds are no longer just public-markets players. They increasingly show up in late-stage startup rounds (often as crossover investors), secondary sales from founders/employees, structured equity with downside protection, and even credit facilities for growth companies that

Abstract navy lattice with teal crystalline growth, cream/copper highlights; textured, left focal, right space

Startup Central

Why Clean, Digital Cap Table Management Matters More Than You Think

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Cap table platforms like Carta have become the default way startups and growth-stage companies track ownership, option pools, and convertibles — because investors now expect a clean, digital “single source of truth.” The risk is assuming the software will keep

Isometric cap table on dark field; founders, investors, option band, SAFEs converting, ring chart.

Startup Central

The Cap Table as Legal Document: Beyond the Spreadsheet

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Cap tables quietly determine who owns control, how value flows, and who benefits when a startup grows or exits. Treated as “just a spreadsheet,” they often hide mis‑recorded grants, mismatched totals against the charter, and uncleared SAFEs or

Abstract fresco: copper lattice vessel holds teal core, navy lines deflect, dark textured space

Startup Central

Catering Contracts for Events: A Legal Guide for Startups

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Why Catering Contracts Can Make or Break Your Next Event Picture a product launch where the caterer arrives late, staffing is thin, and key dietary needs weren’t met — then you realize all you have is an email quote

Abstract geometric lattice medallion left, navy/teal with cream and bronze nodes, fresco texture, blank right

Business Formation & Corporate Governance

When a Cooperative Might Be the Best Legal Structure for Your Business

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Why Cooperatives Are Having a Moment When most founders think about business structures, they reach for the familiar: LLC for flexibility, C-corp for venture capital, S-corp for tax efficiency. But there's another option that rarely makes the

Digital fresco: teal medallion fused with copper lattice, acanthus foliage; dark textured backdrop.

Business Formation & Corporate Governance

Nonprofit or Public Benefit Corporation? How to Choose the Right Structure for Your Mission-Driven Venture

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... You want to build something that matters. A venture that generates revenue while advancing a cause you care deeply about — whether that's environmental sustainability, educational access, or community development. The question isn't whether to embed

Isometric cap table dashboard with diverse team; linked legal docs, SAFEs/options, donut chart.

Business Formation & Corporate Governance

Cap Table Management: A Startup Founder's Complete Guide

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Equity is a startup’s core currency, and the cap table is the single source of truth for who owns what and on what terms. Messy or inaccurate cap tables quietly cause broken financings, founder disputes, loss of key

Glowing teal crystal in bronze/navy lattice, fresco texture; focal left, negative space right

Startup Central

Trademark and Domain Strategy for Startups: A Complete Guide

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Startups Can’t Treat Trademarks and Domains as an Afterthought For most startups, your brand name and domain are the first “product experience” a customer, investor, or recruit gets — often before a demo. That makes trademarks and domains operational

Metallic business block with diverging EBITDA (cyan) and SDE (magenta) valuation curves.

Startup Central

EBITDA vs SDE: How the Metric You Choose Can Change Your Sale Price

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... In small-business and lower-middle-market deals, it's common for negotiations to stall over one deceptively simple question: are we valuing this business on EBITDA or SDE? Brokers, buyers, lenders, and even accountants may talk past each other"

Abstract teal geometric medallion with copper lattice on navy, fresco grain and cracks, left focal.

Startup Central

Startup Cap Table Legal Review: Accuracy, Compliance, and Disputes

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Most startups manage their cap table like a spreadsheet exercise. Investors and acquirers don’t — they treat it like a legal document that must reconcile to signed agreements and approvals. When it doesn’t, small data-entry issues (or “we’

Abstract geometric vessels and crystals on left, navy-teal fresco texture, negative space right

Intellectual Property & Branding

How Long Do Trademarks Last? Registration, Renewals, and Rights

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... This is a practical guide for founders, in-house counsel, and brand/marketing leaders who need a clean, operational way to keep U.S. trademarks alive. Trademarks can be long-term assets, but federal registrations come with hard maintenance checkpoints tied

Rose-gold master vault links to cyan-outlined compartments with property, bag, and app icons

Business Formation & Corporate Governance

Benefits of Series LLCs: When This Structure Actually Helps Your Business

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... When you operate multiple projects, properties, brands, or product lines, the biggest hidden risk is cross-contamination: a lawsuit, debt, or contract problem in one venture can spill into everything else. A Series LLC is designed to reduce that risk

Abstract fresco: geometric medallion left, teal lattice, navy wash, acanthus, copper center.

Startup Central

Broad-Based Weighted Average Anti-Dilution: A Founder's Guide

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Dilution is part of startup life: every new financing usually means issuing more equity, which reduces everyone’s percentage ownership. But down rounds — raising money at a lower price than the last round — create real tension because investors want

Teal crystalline forms emerge from copper lattice amid baroque foliage on deep navy background

Business Formation & Corporate Governance

Setting Up a Nonprofit for Success: A Practical Legal Guide for Founders

Table of contents Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Why Getting Nonprofit Formation Right Matters Starting a nonprofit is an act of optimism. You believe you can make a difference. But that optimism needs a solid legal foundation. A poorly formed nonprofit can lose its tax-exempt status, expose