Cap Table Essentials: The Basics of Startup Shareholdings

When you start a startup, you issue shares early on (to family, friends, and business angels)—often long before the first professional funding round takes place. However, once an institutional investor enters the picture, the cap table becomes a central component of any financing.

Learn:

• how new investments affect existing equity positions

• which early decisions can influence later funding rounds

• and what common mistakes founders should avoid when structuring their equity structure