EdTech EdTech Student Data Privacy Compliance: FERPA, COPPA, and State Laws for Startups Selling to Schools EdTech founders assume FERPA only applies to schools. But the school official exception, COPPA, and 40+ state laws like California SOPIPA impose direct obligations on vendors. Here's what to build before selling to school districts.
Hardware Founders Export Controls for Hardware Startups: When EAR and ITAR Reach Your Product, Your Engineers, and Your Investors EAR and ITAR export controls can restrict who hardware startups hire, where they ship, and what they can publish. Here is what Texas founders need to know about deemed exports, semiconductor rules, and BIS enforcement.
Founders Non-Compete Agreement Enforceability in Texas: A Founder's Guide After the FTC Ban Failed The FTC abandoned its non-compete ban in September 2025. Non-compete agreement enforceability in Texas is now governed entirely by state law. Here's what founders can actually enforce—and how to draft agreements that survive judicial review.
Founders FTC Click-to-Cancel Rule Compliance: What DTC and SaaS Startups Must Do Now The FTC's Click-to-Cancel Rule was vacated by the Eighth Circuit, but enforcement hasn't stopped. Here's what DTC brands and SaaS startups must do for subscription billing, free trials, and cancellation flows under ROSCA, state laws, and class action risk.
Founders What TRAIGA Requires From Texas AI Startups: Compliance, Governance, and Enforcement TRAIGA compliance for Texas AI startups: prohibited practices, disclosure obligations, NIST safe harbor, AG enforcement with $200K penalties, and how it compares to Colorado and EU AI laws.
Regulatory Compliance & Legal Risk Management Lootbox Compliance for Game Studios: What Regulators in the EU, UK, and US Actually Require A jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction compliance roadmap for indie game studios shipping games with loot boxes, gacha mechanics, and randomized reward systems — covering Belgium ban, Dutch consumer protection rules, Germany age rating impacts, UK industry-led guidance, and US FTC enforcement.
Founders Founder IP Assignment: Why You Can't Raise Without It and How to Get It Done Investors find missing IP assignments at Series A more often than any other diligence issue. Here's what needs to be in place — and what your options are if formation was sloppy.
Founders Employee vs. Independent Contractor in 2026: The Tests Every Startup Must Pass Before Classification The DOL's 2024 rule reinstated a multi-factor economic reality test that puts most startup contractor arrangements under real scrutiny. Here's what the tests actually require and where the misclassification risk is highest.
Founders At-Will Employment in Texas: The Doctrine, the Exceptions, and the Termination Mistakes That Create Exposure Texas founders rely on at-will more than the law justifies. This guide covers the five state-law exceptions, federal overlays like the NLRA and FMLA, what employment agreements do to at-will status, and the documentation that limits termination exposure.
Founders Non-Compete Agreements After the FTC Rule Litigation: What Texas Startups Can Enforce The FTC’s sweeping non-compete ban is on hold after a Texas federal court enjoined it. While the legal battle continues, Texas has its own enforceable framework—and most startup non-competes still fail it. Here’s what the law actually requires.
Founders DAO Liability: Are Members Personally Exposed? Lessons from the CFTC's Ooki DAO Enforcement The CFTC's 2023 judgment against Ooki DAO established that decentralized structures don't prevent regulatory enforcement—and three courts have since confirmed that governance token holders face unlimited personal liability as general partners. Here's what that means for your protocol.
Founders CCPA and CPRA for Consumer App Founders: What Applying to California Users Requires Most founders assume CCPA only applies to enterprise companies. It doesn't — a consumer app with 100,000 California users is covered regardless of revenue. Here's what the thresholds, six consumer rights, and 2025 CPPA enforcement actions mean for your product.
Founders The 83(b) Election: What It Is, How to File It, and Why Missing the 30-Day Deadline Is Permanent If you received restricted stock at your company's formation and didn't file an 83(b) election within 30 days, the tax savings are gone forever. Here's what the election does, the math, and how to file it correctly.
Founders SAFE vs. Convertible Note: What Pre-Seed Founders Need to Understand Before They Sign Everyone tells pre-seed founders to use a SAFE. Here’s what SAFE mechanics, convertible note interest, and the post-money revision actually mean — and when the answer isn’t a SAFE.
Founders Subscription Billing Compliance: ROSCA, the FTC Click-to-Cancel Rule, and What DTC Brands Must Do Now The FTC's 2024 click-to-cancel rule was vacated by the Eighth Circuit in July 2025 — but ROSCA, Section 5, and state automatic-renewal laws remain fully operative. This guide covers what DTC brands and subscription operators need to know, from California's AB 2863 to the $100M Vonage settlement.
Startup Central Legal Planning for First-Time Founders in Their 30s and 40s If you're starting your first company in your 30s or 40s, you're often bringing real career leverage"10+ years of skills, network, and credibility"1and…
Startup Central Broad-Based Weighted Average (BBWA) Anti-Dilution for Startups: Formula, Examples, and Legal Checklist Broad-based weighted average (BBWA) anti-dilution is a common compromise term in venture financings: it protects preferred stock investors if the…
Startup Central Cap Table Essentials: What Every Startup Needs to Track for Clean Equity Records A clean cap table is more than a spreadsheet that “adds up.” It’s the single source of truth tying your company’s ownership to the documents that…
Startup Central Why fully diluted shares can make or break your equity decisions Most equity confusion starts with a simple denominator problem: founders and early employees look at issued (or even just outstanding ) shares and…
Business Formation & Corporate Governance How Cap Tables Work: A Strategic Guide for Founders and Counsel A capitalization table (or “cap table”) is the living record of who owns your company and how they own it — founders, employees, advisors, and…
Startup Central Essential Legal Strategies for Austin Startups to Manage Business Disputes Effectively For Austin startups and small businesses, a “business dispute” is any conflict that can derail revenue, operations, or relationships — think contract…
Startup Central Catering Contracts for Startups and Small Businesses: A Practical Guide Catering seems simple until it isn't: an event runs late, headcount changes, dietary needs are missed, equipment doesn't arrive, or the venue's rules…
Startup Central 4-Year Vesting With a 1-Year Cliff Explained: A Practical Guide for Founders and Employees In startups, equity is often a core part of compensation — sometimes the main “upside” when cash is tight.
Startup Central How Angel Investors and Legal Counsel Can Partner for Successful Early Rounds Angel money is often the first real “outside capital” a startup takes — capital that comes with expectations, documentation, and a cap table that…
Startup Central Accounting Services Agreements: What Startups Need to Know Before Signing Many startups and small businesses outsource bookkeeping and tax work long before they hire an internal finance team.
