Founder answers
Founder vesting and cliffs, explained
Short answer
The standard grant is 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff: leave before month 12 and you vest nothing; at the cliff a full year vests at once; after that it vests monthly. Vesting protects the company from a cofounder who leaves early holding a large, unearned stake.
Cliff, then monthly
A cliff means no equity vests until you’ve been there a set time (usually 12 months). At the cliff, the first year vests in one step; the remainder vests monthly over the rest of the term (usually four years total).
Acceleration
Single-trigger acceleration vests extra shares on an acquisition; double-trigger requires an acquisition AND the person being terminated. Double-trigger is the founder-friendly, investor-acceptable norm.
Common questions
What is a standard founder vesting schedule?
Four years with a one-year cliff, vesting monthly after the cliff.
What happens if a cofounder leaves before the cliff?
They vest nothing — their unvested shares return to the company, avoiding dead equity.
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