Incorporation, cap table and SAFE — done right, week one
You've got a co-founder handshake, no paperwork, and a lawyer quoting $15,000 before anyone's written a check.
I've been through day 0 myself, and I've spent months doing this setup hands-on with about a dozen early-stage startups.
How do you set up a startup the right way?
Set up a startup in week one by incorporating (many venture-backed founders choose a Delaware C-corp), issuing founder shares with vesting, filing any 83(b) election within 30 days, building a clean cap table, and using a standard SAFE for your first checks. Have a startup lawyer review each document before you sign.
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