Co-Founder Equity Split Review — Guide

Get the co-founder equity split right — before it is too late to fix

Wrongly-set co-founder equity is the single most cited cause of startup failure. It is also one of the most emotionally difficult things for founders to discuss. This review takes the emotion out by giving you a third-party legal and structural view of whether your proposed (or existing) equity split is defensible, investor-ready, and fair.

Read the guide (free)

What is included

• Review of each founder’s role, time commitment, IP contribution and capital contribution
• Contribution-weighted split modelling with reasoned recommendation
• Vesting schedule recommendation (standard 4-year / 1-year cliff vs custom)
• Good-leaver / bad-leaver and reverse vesting commentary
• Written equity split report with clear justification for the recommended split
• 30-minute founder video call to walk through the findings

Who this is for

Irish co-founders about to incorporate, existing founding teams who never formally agreed their split, teams adding a new co-founder, or founders who suspect the current split does not reflect contributions — and want an independent legal view before raising the conversation.

Process

1. Purchase — not currently available.
2. Founder questionnaire — each founder completes a short online contribution form.
3. Review and modelling — 5 to 7 working days.
4. Written report + debrief video call.

Related services

Also consider: Founder Shareholders Agreement, Cap Table Legal Health Check, Small Business Incorporation Pack.

Frequently asked questions

Is equal split between co-founders a good idea?

Sometimes. Equal splits work when founders are genuinely equal in contribution, risk, time commitment and skill. They fail when one founder contributes materially more (usually time, sometimes capital, sometimes IP) and resentment builds. The review looks at the actual contribution picture and tells you whether an equal split is defensible for your specific team or whether a weighted split would be more sustainable.

Can you actually change an equity split once it is set?

Yes, but it gets harder with each passing month. Early stage — before investment, before significant trading, before tax events — changes can often be done cleanly via share transfers, redesignations, or fresh issuances. After investment, after revenue, after options have been granted to staff, retrospective changes become expensive and create tax issues.

What if my co-founder disagrees with the recommendation?

The written report presents the rationale neutrally, which often defuses the emotional charge. If there is still disagreement, we can facilitate a mediation call or refer you to specialist mediators.

Does this include actually setting up vesting?

No — this product is the review and recommendation. Setting up vesting is typically done through a Founder Shareholders Agreement (not currently available) which includes full vesting mechanics, or through a standalone Vesting Agreement Pack.

How much information do we need to provide?

A short online questionnaire for each founder covering role, weekly hours committed, IP brought in, capital invested, and relevant experience. Typical completion time is 15 to 20 minutes per founder.

Is this confidential between the founders?

Yes — the review is confidential within the founding team. We do not share information outside the named founders without explicit written consent.

Read the guide (free)

If you would like to be told when solicitor services are available again on this site, you can join our no-fee waiting list. To instruct a solicitor now, use the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory.