For ambitious tech startups, turning bold ingenuity into a
commercially viable business can be a risky proposition. To help
you hit the ground running with confidence, we’ve outlined
below five crucial legal documents that no startup should be
without.
1. Incorporation agreement
You want to start a business, but you don’t want to lose
your house and car over it. Protect yourself and incorporate your
business properly right off the bat — and save yourself a lot
of trouble down the line. Trust us on this one: many companies do
this poorly and end up paying for it in the end.
2. Shareholders’ agreement
Being good friends doesn’t mean you’ll be good
business partners. You need to plan for what will happen if one of
you wants to leave or sell. A shareholders’ agreement will
set everything in stone and define how your company handles money
in, money out, shareholders’ exits and management
controls.
