The ADGM and the DIFC are financial free zones in the UAE with independent jurisdictions exempted from the UAE’s civil and commercial laws. For founders looking for a place to register a new business, both are great jurisdictions to choose from.
One way to protect your startup from unfair competition is to include non-compete clauses in your employment contracts. You could also have a non-compete in the shareholders agreement that you sign with your investors.
Your journey on Clara just got a whole lot easier now thanks to our brand new dashboard. Our all-new dashboard is designed to make it easier to get to the parts of the Clara platform that matter to you, plus gives you also visibility and progress across a variety of tasks.
A term sheet is a relatively short document setting out the key terms of the investment agreed upon between the company and the investor in user-friendly language. It is also referred to as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). It includes the business and finance terms and could include legal terms regarding confidentiality and dispute resolution.
Whether you are looking to attract more investors or make key appointments for your start-up, you need a strong, up-to-date cap table. An accurate cap table gives potential investors the information they need to decide whether they will invest in your venture. It also helps stakeholders to keep track of their interests and shows potential employees what you can offer as stock options.
When we refer to investors’ rights, we refer to the legal and financial protection granted to investors when receiving shares in a start-up. It can also refer to certain privileges. In the early stages, a start-up can raise funds through convertibles. The founder will receive the money but does not need to issue shares at that stage.
In the excitement and enthusiasm of starting a new business, formalising agreements are often overlooked. Startup founders are often friends or acquaintances, and it is easy to fall into the trap of only discussing roles, responsibilities, ownership structures and other important matters verbally. This can be dangerous.
A SAFE (which stands for Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is the most popular type of convertible for early-stage startups. It was originally created by Y Combinator in 2013.
An ESOP is a way for you to set aside a pool of shares in your startup that you can allocate to various team members (e.g. employees, consultants or advisors – that’s right, it’s not just for employees, notwithstanding the name). The ESOP sets out the rules for granting shares.
Setting up a company in ADGM, and specifically a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), is attractive for founders and investors. Founders benefit from the speed and simplicity that ADGM’s fully digitised incorporation process achieves, while investors are attracted by the investment flexibility and legal protections that ADGM’s strong regulatory environment provides.
