Build the company
and enjoy the journey
with your co-founder
You're building something big, and you want the ride to be as good as the win. Good governance keeps you both on the same page, so nothing gets in the way of either, from the first product to the moment it all takes off.
Great journeys are built
on the same page.
Align early
Get on the same page before the pace picks up.
Build clarity
Define roles, decisions and commitments that fit your vision.
Stay aligned
Adapt as you grow, without losing what matters.
Your co-founder relationship is your first product.
Get the relationship right first: a fair, pre-incorporation live founder agreement built with your co-founder, so your focus stays on building the company and enjoying the ride.
Build your first product
A dead document, or a living agreement.
Most founder agreements are a 50-page PDF, signed once and never reopened. Ours is a dashboard that grows with your journey, so you can focus on the company and enjoy building it together.
FOUNDERS’ AGREEMENT
Pre-Incorporation
This Founders’ Agreement is made as of the date of last signature by and among the undersigned founders of the Company to be formed (each a “Founder”).
1. Equity. The Founders shall hold the Company’s equity in the proportions set out in Schedule A, subject to the vesting and transfer restrictions below.
2. Vesting. Each Founder’s equity shall vest over forty-eight (48) months from the Commencement Date, subject to a twelve (12) month cliff.
3. Intellectual Property. Each Founder hereby assigns to the Company all right, title and interest in work product, inventions and materials created for the business.
4. Decisions. Ordinary matters are decided by majority; Reserved Matters require the unanimous written consent of the Founders.
5. Departure. Should a Founder cease to provide services, unvested equity shall be subject to repurchase by the Company at the lower of cost or fair value.
The 50-page PDF
Hours lost in legalese you’ll never reread.
A lawyer’s bill for a document you sign once.
Fifty pages that pull you off the product and the team.
Frozen on day one, and a quiet doubt about what you agreed.
Equity split
Vesting
0/48 mo
48-mo · 12-mo cliff
Audit trail
- Agreement generated
- Signed · Alex
- Signed · Sam
- Amendment · v1.0
Amendments
Your living dashboard
Set up in minutes, then it keeps itself up to date.
No lawyer’s bill. Build and sign for free, $15/month to keep it living.
One clear view, so you focus on the business and the team.
Terms everyone trusts, so your relationships hold.
For every chapter,
from day one.
Co-founded by a startup lawyer
who spent years helping founders get their foundations right.
Built for young founders
backed by real startup experience.
Powered by the essentials
the 12 protections that matter, built into every agreement.
Private and secure
designed for your reality.
FAQ
Does this incorporate my company?
No. Goodvernance creates a pre-incorporation founder agreement. It does not form a company or file anything with a state.
Does this issue shares?
No. The equity split is an intended allocation between founders, not an issuance of shares. Shares are issued later, when you incorporate.
Is this legal advice?
No. Goodvernance is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. For complex situations, consult a lawyer.
We trust each other. Do we really need this?
Trust is exactly why now is the time. Almost no cofounder dispute involves a villain: circumstances change, and honest people remember the same handshake differently years later. An agreement signed while you trust each other records what fair looks like to both of you today. Read why trust is the window, not the reason to skip it.
What happens after incorporation?
Goodvernance starts with the pre-incorporation Founder Agreement. After incorporation, founders should use the agreement with counsel or an incorporation provider to implement the intended terms in proper corporate documents. Goodvernance does not incorporate companies or issue shares.
What does “live agreement” mean?
Once signed, your agreement becomes a living dashboard: vesting earned over time, a founder departure simulator, IP and asset visibility, an Amendment Center and full version history, all kept current with Goodvernance Live.
Is this generated by AI?
No. Every clause is written and validated by a lawyer. AI never drafts your agreement.
What do you do with my data?
Your agreement and your answers are yours. We never sell your data and we don’t share it; everything is encrypted in transit and at rest, and you can export or delete it all at any time.
Who is behind Goodvernance?
A startup disputes lawyer who litigated cofounder conflicts for years, and a repeat technical founder. We run Goodvernance on our own live founder agreement.
Enjoy your founder journey with Goodvernance.
Seal it with your co-founder today, a live founder agreement before incorporation, free to start and for good.
Get started, it’s free