A discussion brief comes before a legal document
A founder agreement concerns important expectations about ownership, contributions and responsibility. The appropriate documents and wording depend on the entity, jurisdiction, existing commitments and the arrangement itself. A general website checklist cannot decide those issues for you.
This planner produces personal discussion notes. It does not create a binding agreement, issue shares, assign intellectual property, record signatures or replace legal or tax advice. Bring the brief and relevant existing documents to a qualified professional before signing or making a company commitment.
Further reading: Startup India’s legal considerations for a startup describes founder ownership, initial investments and responsibilities as topics for an agreement. It is background reading, not a template tailored to your situation.
Prepare facts, questions and unresolved differences
- Write the present situation. What work exists, who contributed it, what has been promised and which entity, if any, is involved?
- Discuss the working arrangement. Separate assumptions from points you both understand in the same way.
- Mark decisions needing advice. Ownership, vesting, departures, work rights, confidentiality and tax can require careful professional review.
- Review a suitable draft. Ask your adviser to explain the documents, open questions and steps needed for your actual arrangement.
- Keep a review process. Agree when to revisit working expectations and how proposed changes will be handled.
Use neutral language when you disagree. “Not discussed” is useful information; do not label a topic aligned merely to finish the form. Avoid including passwords, bank details or confidential customer information in your notes.
Build your private discussion brief
No signup required. Entries stay in this open page; they are not submitted or saved by this tool. Closing or refreshing clears your changes. Normal website delivery and operational logs still apply.
1. Roles and contribution
Which decisions and deliverables will each person own? What time, cash or existing work can each realistically contribute?
2. Ownership expectations
What split are you discussing, why, and which future-work or departure scenarios need professional advice? Record questions, not a share issuance.
3. Work and intellectual property
Which code, designs, brands or other work already exists? What third-party or employer restrictions should your adviser check before anyone promises ownership?
4. Decisions and spending
What can each person decide alone? Which spending, hiring or product decisions need a joint discussion, and what happens when you disagree?
5. Money and practical commitments
What can the startup currently afford? Discuss expenses, income needs, working location and review dates without assuming that everyone has the same resources.
6. Changes and departures
What happens if someone cannot continue, changes their time commitment or wants to leave? List the scenarios your adviser should help document.
Six topics to discuss.
Keep practical evidence alongside the questions
A short working trial can make the discussion more concrete: how did you divide work, make a decision and respond when something changed? A fit conversation can also reveal different expectations about time and commitment.
When discussing funding, the simple dilution calculator illustrates one narrow scenario. It does not decide a fair founder split or model legal rights. Keep the calculation's assumptions with any numbers you share.