Founders agreement template: free in Word, or sign it online

Reviewed in October 2026

A founders agreement is a contract between the people who start a company together. It records who owns what, how equity vests, who does which job and what happens if a founder leaves. Sign it early, before the company has money or customers.

Use this template Download in Word

Ten documents free, no card. Signed by every founder.

The full founders agreement

FOUNDERS AGREEMENT

This Founders Agreement (the "Agreement") is made on [date] among [Founder 1 name], [Founder 2 name] and [Founder 3 name] (each a "Founder"), regarding [company name or project name] (the "Company").

1. Purpose

The Founders will build [one-line description of the business]. They will form the Company as a [corporation or LLC] in [state] by [date], if not formed already.

2. Equity split

The Founders will hold the Company's initial equity as follows: [Founder 1] [percentage], [Founder 2] [percentage], [Founder 3] [percentage].

3. Vesting

Each Founder's equity vests over [number] months, with a [number]-month cliff. After the cliff, it vests in equal monthly portions. Unvested equity may be repurchased by the Company at its original price if the Founder leaves.

4. Acceleration

[Choose one: No acceleration applies / If the Company is sold and the Founder is dismissed without cause within [number] months, [percentage] of unvested equity vests at once.]

5. Roles

[Founder 1] will serve as [title] and lead [area]. [Founder 2] will serve as [title] and lead [area]. [Founder 3] will serve as [title] and lead [area].

6. Time commitment

Each Founder will work [full time or number hours per week] on the Company starting [date].

7. Intellectual property

Each Founder assigns to the Company all rights in the code, designs, names, domains and other work created for the Company, including work made before this Agreement.

8. Decisions

Day-to-day decisions belong to the Founder who leads that area. Major decisions need [unanimous or majority] approval of the Founders: raising money, hiring executives, taking debt over [amount] or selling the Company.

9. Salaries and expenses

No Founder receives a salary until [milestone]. Reasonable expenses approved in advance are reimbursed.

10. Departure

A Founder who leaves keeps vested equity and returns unvested equity under clause 3. They will deliver all Company materials and passwords within [number] days.

11. Confidentiality

Each Founder will keep Company information confidential during and after their time with the Company.

12. Disputes

The Founders will meet in good faith to resolve any disagreement. If they cannot agree within [number] days, they will use [mediation or arbitration] in [city].

13. Governing law and signature

This Agreement is governed by the laws of [state]. The Founders agree to sign it electronically, with the same effect as a handwritten signature.

Founder

Name: ______________

Date: ______________

What the template includes

What the company will do and where it will be formed
Equity percentage for each founder
Vesting schedule with a cliff
Optional acceleration on a sale
Title and area of each founder
Time each founder commits
Assignment of all work to the company
Which decisions need everyone
Salary and expense rules
What a departing founder keeps and returns
Confidentiality, dispute steps and governing law

What you fill in

Field	Example
Founders	Maya Chen, Daniel Ortiz, Priya Nair
Company	Fieldnote Labs
Entity	Delaware corporation
Equity split	40%, 35%, 25%
Vesting	48 months
Cliff	12 months
Major decisions	Unanimous
Salaries start	After the seed round closes
Dispute step	Mediation in Austin, Texas

How it gets signed

1Choose «Use this template», fill in the fields and review the full founders agreement.
2Send it by WhatsApp or email. The other party opens the link on their phone without an account.
3They tap the brown bar at the bottom that says «Sign as …» and draw their signature once.
4Everyone gets the signed PDF with its signature certificate. Anyone can check it at signsolu.com/verificar.

The signing screen tells each signer that signing means agreeing to sign electronically. It links to the electronic signature disclosure that the ESIGN Act asks for.

What you get once everyone signs

The signed PDF. The final founders agreement with every drawn signature in place.
The signature certificate. It lists each signer and the date and time of each signature.
A record you can check. The folio on the certificate opens the document history at signsolu.com/verificar.
Reminders. Turn them on and SignSolú reminds every signer who has not signed yet.

Your first ten documents are free and need no card.

What the law says

A founders agreement is a contract between individuals. State contract law decides if it holds, and the corporate law of the state where you incorporate governs the shares themselves.

Once the company exists, founders usually sign a stock purchase agreement with the vesting terms. The founders agreement sets the deal those documents will follow.

The ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001 gives an electronic signature the same legal effect as one on paper. A contract cannot be denied effect only because it was signed electronically.

Questions to answer together first

Who works full time and from when? Part-time founders often vest more slowly.
Who put in money? Cash invested is usually treated apart from equity for work.
Who owns the code written before today? Clause 7 moves it to the company.
Who decides in a tie? Name the area each founder has the last word on.
What happens if someone leaves in year one? The cliff answers it.

Most founder disputes start with one of these five questions left open. Settle them before you sign.

Why vesting matters

Vesting protects the founders who stay. If someone leaves after three months, they do not walk away with a third of the company.

Four years with a one-year cliff is the most common schedule. Investors expect to see it, so starting with it saves a later negotiation.

How to split equity

Equal splits are fast but ignore differences in time, money and risk. List what each founder brings and expects to do over the next two years.

Write the reasoning down. A clear record helps when a new founder or investor asks why.

Common mistakes

Skipping the IP assignment. Investors check that the company owns its code.
Vague roles. Two founders who both think they run product will clash.
Waiting to sign. The longer you wait, the harder the conversation gets.

When a founder leaves

The founder keeps what has vested and the company buys back the rest at the original price. Clause 10 also asks them to hand over passwords and files within a set number of days.

A clean exit protects everyone. Investors see a company that owns its work and a cap table without surprises.

Example of a three-founder split

Maya writes the product and works full time from day one. Daniel sells and joins full time in month three. Priya designs part time until the seed round.

They agree on 40%, 35% and 25%, all on four-year vesting with a one-year cliff. Priya's vesting starts when she goes full time.

Before you sign

Electronic signature software. What SignSolú does from the draft to the signed PDF.
Digital signature explained. How a signature drawn on a phone holds up as evidence.
Read every clause of the founders agreement with the other party before anyone signs. Change what does not fit your deal.
Check how electronic signatures are recognized where you sign in the e-signature validity guide by country.
Learn how anyone can confirm a signed document at signsolu.com/verificar.
When the signed copy comes back, verify the PDF signature online against the original.

Other templates

Frequently asked questions

Is a founders agreement signed online legally binding?

Yes. The ESIGN Act gives electronic signatures the same effect as handwritten ones. The signed PDF and its certificate show who signed and when.

Do we need a founders agreement before we incorporate?

Yes. It records the deal while the company is still being formed and the equity has not been issued.

Does it replace the stock purchase agreement?

No. The stock purchase agreement issues the shares. The founders agreement sets the terms they follow.

Does the other party need a SignSolú account?

No. They open the link on their phone and sign with the brown bar at the bottom.

Can I edit the clauses before sending it?

Yes. After «Use this template» you can change any clause before you send it.

Can a founder sign from another country?

Yes. Each founder signs from their own phone wherever they are. The certificate records the date and time.

Can we change the equity split later?

Yes. All founders sign an amendment. Do it before outside investors come in.

Should a founder who invests cash get more equity?

Often yes, but many teams treat the cash as a separate note or investment. Write the choice down.