Section
American tech companies and founders.
3 articles
A startup offer often swaps some salary for stock options, but the number of options alone tells you almost nothing. This guide explains ISOs, NSOs and RSUs, vesting and cliffs, strike prices and 409A valuations, exercise windows and the tax basics, plus the questions to ask before you sign.
Most early-stage US startups raise their first outside money on SAFEs or convertible notes rather than selling shares at a set price. This guide explains how each works, what valuation caps and discounts do, a worked example of conversion, and the dilution traps founders and angel investors should understand.
Startup funding follows a broadly predictable path in the US, from founders' savings and angel checks to seed rounds and a priced Series A. This guide explains each stage, who invests, what they look for, the securities rules that apply, and the trade-offs founders accept with every dollar raised.
