A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) note is a financial instrument used in early-stage investments. It allows investors to provide capital to a startup and in return, they receive the right to purchase equity in a future financing round. The benefit for the investor is that the SAFE note often includes terms such as a discount or a valuation cap, which can provide the investor with more shares for their investment when the company raises future financing. This can potentially lead to higher returns if the company is successful.

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Cap Table

Ever wondered why some companies stay under the control of their founders, while others shift into the hands of their investors? Our Cap Table Templat...

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Since your company has 3,000,000 shares, that means each share is now worth $4. And your uncle who invested $10,000 early on now gets 2,500 shares. Using simple math, the professional investors would have about 8% ownership of your company, and your uncle around 1%. However, because your uncle was an early investor, the SAFE note may grant him a Discount when purchasing his shares.

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The number of shares in a company directly affects the worth of each share. The total value of a company is divided by the number of shares to determine the value of each share. If a company issues more shares, the value of each existing share is diluted because the total value of the company is now spread over a larger number of shares. Conversely, if a company reduces the number of shares, the value of each existing share increases because the total value of the company is now divided among fewer shares.

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