Equity Management
Equity Management for European Startups
Equity management covers the systems and decisions a startup uses to grant, track and report on ownership. This includes cap table records, option pools, vesting schedules and the software that ties them together.
Guides to running an employee equity plan
Equity Management Software
Equity management software replaces spreadsheets for tracking shares, options and vesting. It becomes worth the cost once a company has more than a handful of shareholders or option holders across multiple grants.
Employee Equity
Employee equity gives staff a stake in the company they work for, usually through options, restricted shares or phantom equity. The right instrument depends on the company's legal form, country and stage.
Equity Compensation
Equity compensation is pay delivered as company ownership rather than cash. It usually vests over several years and its real value depends entirely on the company's future success.
Equity Administration
Equity administration is the ongoing record-keeping behind every share and option a company has issued. Poor administration causes delays and costly fixes during fundraising or an exit.
Equity Grants
An equity grant is the formal award of shares or options to an individual. It requires board approval, a written agreement, and correct entry in the cap table before it is legally effective.
Employee Ownership
Employee ownership means a meaningful share of a company is held collectively by its staff, not just a few senior hires. It can improve retention and alignment but adds administrative complexity.
Related hubs on options, shares and cap tables
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