Clean up your cap table before investors find the cracks
Most Irish startup cap tables look fine on a spreadsheet and fall apart under legal scrutiny. Shares issued but not filed. Option grants promised in email. Founder vesting that contradicts the shareholders agreement. SAFEs that will not convert cleanly. This fixed-fee review catches all of it — and gives you a prioritised fix list to bring your cap table up to investor-ready standard.
What is included
- Full review of share register, constitution, and CRO filings
- Audit of every share issuance since incorporation
- Review of option grants (KEEP or unapproved) and option pool documentation
- Review of SAFEs, convertible notes, and loan instruments with conversion features
- Shareholders agreement and constitution consistency check
- Simple dilution model for your next funding round
- Written report with priority-ordered fix list
- 30-minute debrief video call to walk through the findings
Who this is for
Irish founders preparing to raise investment, companies approaching an exit or share sale, boards wanting an independent check on corporate hygiene, and any company that has done multiple share issuances, option grants or convertible rounds without a single source of truth.
Process and turnaround
- Purchase — €295 fixed fee.
- Document upload — cap table, constitution, shareholder agreements, option scheme documents, CRO filings.
- Review — 5 to 7 working days.
- Report + debrief call — written findings plus a 30-minute video walk-through.
- Optional remediation — any fixes quoted separately on fixed fees before starting.
Related services
Also consider: Investment Readiness Legal Pack, Founder Shareholders Agreement, KEEP Scheme Setup Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cap table and why does it need reviewing?
A capitalisation table (cap table) is the master record of who owns what in your Irish company — shares, share classes, options, convertibles, and the dilution effect of each. It needs reviewing because cap tables drift. Founders forget about a friend-and-family share issue, option grants are promised in emails and never documented, convertible instruments are layered on top without modelling their conversion. A broken cap table is the single most common reason an Irish startup’s funding round stalls in due diligence.
What does this health check include?
A full review of: the share register and CRO filings, every share issuance since incorporation, option grants and the KEEP / unapproved scheme documentation, convertible notes and SAFEs, shareholder agreement consistency, constitution alignment, dilution modelling for the next round, and a written report of every gap, inconsistency and risk — with a priority-ordered fix list.
What kinds of problems typically come up?
Common findings include: shares issued but never filed with the CRO, option grants referenced in emails but never formally granted, founder shares not aligned with the shareholders agreement, SAFEs or convertibles that will not convert cleanly, missing director or shareholder resolutions, and cap table spreadsheets that do not match the legal reality. We see at least one material issue in roughly nine out of ten cap tables we review.
How much does a cap table review cost in Ireland?
The Cap Table Legal Health Check is a fixed fee of €295. If the review uncovers issues that require remedial drafting (for example, formal share allotment resolutions, or a retrospective option grant), those are priced separately at our standard fixed rates — we will quote on them before doing any additional work.
How long does it take?
Typical turnaround is 5 to 7 working days from receipt of your cap table spreadsheet, constitution, shareholder agreements, and CRO filings.
Is this worth doing before I raise investment?
Unambiguously yes. Investors run a forensic cap table review as part of due diligence. Finding issues before they do — and being able to show a clean, documented, fixed cap table — dramatically strengthens your position in term-sheet negotiations. It is far cheaper to fix a cap table on a fixed fee than to renegotiate valuation or indemnities because a gap emerged during DD.
Do you work with my accountant or existing advisors?
Yes. We coordinate with your accountant, tax adviser, and company secretary where relevant — the cap table sits at the intersection of legal, company secretarial, and tax work. The health check report is structured so your existing advisors can implement any accounting or tax follow-ups alongside our legal remediation.
Need ongoing legal support?
If you want predictable ongoing legal backup rather than just this one-off service, our Monthly Legal Retainer for SMEs gives Irish companies direct access to our team for €149/month — no hourly billing, cancel any time.
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