ComplyKart Services
Agree on the hard stuff while you're still friends
Every co-founder dispute we've seen started with 'we'll figure it out later.' Equity splits, vesting, who decides what, what happens when someone leaves — a founders agreement settles these while everyone still likes each other. Later is always more expensive.
CA/CS-guided review
Your documents and structure are checked before anything is filed.
Written scope first
Inclusions and payable charges are explained before work begins.
Support till it’s done
One team owns your filing, from the first call to the final handover.
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Experience behind every filing
A quick snapshot of the work so far.
Fees
Fees and packages for founders agreement
Every requirement is a little different, so we quote after a short discussion — the consultation itself is free.
Custom quote
Founders Agreement
Talk to a ComplyKart expert — we’ll understand your requirement and share an exact written quote before you pay anything.
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Founders' Agreement Package Inclusions
- Equity split and vesting schedule drafting
- Roles, decision-making and deadlock clauses
- IP assignment to the company
- Exit, buyback and drag/tag-along provisions
- Execution-ready draft with founder briefing call
Overview
What this agreement actually covers
A founders agreement is the contract between co-founders, recording equity split, roles and responsibilities, and decision-making authority.
Core clauses include vesting schedules (so equity is earned over time), IP assignment to the company, and confidentiality.
It defines what happens on founder exit — voluntary, for cause, or on death/disability — including share buyback mechanics.
It sets the rules for future fundraising: dilution, anti-dilution expectations, and founder consent rights.
Unlike a shareholders agreement (which comes at investment), the founders agreement governs the pre-investment phase — though its terms usually flow into later documents.
Benefits
Why founders get this drafted through us
Open each benefit to see what it means for you.
Vesting that protects the committed
We structure vesting with cliffs so a founder who leaves in month three doesn't walk away with a third of the company.
Exit mechanics decided calmly
Buyback price, payment terms, and IP handover on exit are agreed now — not negotiated during a falling-out.
IP locked to the company
Every founder assigns all IP to the company. Investors will ask for this; having it done early speeds up fundraising.
Decision deadlocks prevented
We define who decides what, and what happens when founders disagree — so a 50-50 split doesn't become a 50-50 stalemate.
Documents
What we need from you
Clear, current documents matter more than a long checklist. Names, dates of birth and addresses should match across records.
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From you
We prepare
Process
How we draft your agreement
You’ll see each stage, what’s pending and what we need from you — so filings don’t bounce back.
Step 1 of 4
Talk through the arrangement
We discuss equity, roles, vesting, and exits with the founding team — surfacing assumptions before they become disagreements.
Draft the agreement
The full agreement is drafted, typically within a few working days, with clauses sized to an early-stage startup.
Review with all founders
Every founder reviews. We explain each clause plainly and adjust until everyone is genuinely comfortable.
Finalise and sign
The final version is executed, with guidance on stamp duty — and it becomes the reference for all future founder decisions.
Why ComplyKart
Why ComplyKart for this
You should know who’s doing what. Open a stage to see how the work is shared.
We've seen the disputes
Our drafting is informed by real co-founder fallouts — the clauses exist because we've seen what happens without them.
Startup-practical
We don't draft 80-page documents for a two-founder startup. The agreement is thorough but proportionate.
Investor-ready thinking
Terms are structured so they transition cleanly into your shareholders agreement at fundraising.
We've seen the disputes: Our drafting is informed by real co-founder fallouts — the clauses exist because we've seen what happens without them.
If a founder or investor is outside India
Foreign ownership is possible in many sectors, but it adds document authentication, banking and FEMA work. Set the route before funds move.
Plan before you start
- Check whether your sector permits automatic-route foreign investment
- Confirm the Indian resident director arrangement
- Map ownership, beneficial ownership and pricing
- Allow time for apostilled or consularised documents
Plan for after setup
- Receive funds through permitted banking channels
- Complete RBI/FEMA reporting and keep the bank evidence
- Coordinate tax and ongoing compliance advice early
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Search all 7 answers, or filter by the stage you’re thinking about.
Showing 7 of 7 answers
Yes — and you should. The agreement can be signed pre-incorporation and then adopted or mirrored by the company once formed.
Four years with a one-year cliff is the most common — nothing vests in year one, then vesting accrues monthly or quarterly. We tailor it to your situation.
The agreement distinguishes sweat equity from capital contribution, with different vesting and exit treatment for each. We structure it explicitly.
Whatever your agreement says — which is the point of having one. Typically: unvested shares return to the company, vested shares are bought back at a pre-agreed formula.
No. The founders agreement is between founders, pre-investment. The shareholders agreement comes at fundraising and includes investors. The former's terms usually feed into the latter.
Typically 3–5 working days for the first draft, plus review rounds with all founders.
If you're already in conflict, you need dispute resolution, not a fresh agreement — though we can help document a settlement. Talk to us about where things stand.
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What clients say about working with us
Real stories from businesses we've worked with.
Our Trademark was applied in all the classes with a short span of time by Complykart Trademark Experts and I can say the level of expertise and commitment they carry is remarkable. It's an A+ from my side. We are now sticking to ComplyKart only.
I found the professionalism of the staff at complykart.com, a pleasure to work with. As a foreigner to India, they took the time to explain the documentation and assisted in every question I raised. I was pleased that complykart.com made it easy for my Business.
Trust, Commitment, Dedication and responsiveness are the best things with ComplyKart. Thanks for handling our Merger assignment with so much care. After my business disputes, complykart handles all things with own sense of understanding.
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