From handshake to live agreement
Create, sign and run a Goodvernance Founder Agreement before incorporation, so founder commitments stay clear, visible and respected as your startup evolves.
No account needed to start · No legal advice
Founder conflict starts in ambiguity.
Equity expectations, IP ownership, contribution, roles and decision rights often stay unclear until pressure arrives. Goodvernance helps founders clarify what matters before conflict turns momentum into paralysis.
Built on three beliefs
Clarity over complexity
Founders should be able to make key commitments clear without getting lost in legal complexity.
Trust needs structure
Trust is stronger when roles, equity, IP, assets and decisions are visible and understood.
Prevention over conflict
Good governance starts before the dispute, not after the relationship has already broken.
The 12 protections that matter before incorporation
The Goodvernance Founder Agreement helps early cofounders agree on founder roles, the intended equity split, vesting and cliff, founder departure, IP and assets, decision-making, deadlock, amendments and platform records.
Pre-Incorporation Status
Make it clear no company exists yet, and what this agreement is for.
Founder Roles and Commitments
Who's a founder, their role, and how much time they're really putting in.
Intended Founder Equity Split
Agree on the equity split now, in writing, before it gets awkward.
Vesting and Cliff
Earn equity over time, so nobody walks away with a free chunk.
Founder Departure Before Incorporation
Decide what happens if a cofounder leaves early, before it happens.
Forfeiture of Unearned Founder Equity
No dead equity: unearned shares go back to the team.
Project IP and Covenant to Assign
Make sure the startup owns the product, not one founder personally.
Project Assets and Access Handover
Domain, repo, cloud and accounts stay with the project, not a person.
Decision-Making and Reserved Matters
Big decisions that need everyone's approval, agreed up front.
Deadlock Escalation
A clear process for when founders get stuck on a big call.
Amendments and Versioning
Change the deal the right way, with everyone signing off.
Electronic Signature and Platform Records
Signed, timestamped and recorded, not a handshake.
Once signed, it becomes a live dashboard.
Founders can track vesting, simulate departures, monitor IP and assets, create amendments and preserve version history.
From handshake to signed in four steps
Answer simple questions
Plain-language steps about equity, vesting, IP, assets and decisions.
Generate your Founder Agreement
We turn your answers into a clean, readable agreement, instantly.
Invite cofounders to sign
Each cofounder reviews and signs with a unique secure link.
Keep it alive in your dashboard
Vesting, departures and obligations tracked over time.
A founder agreement should not be a dead PDF.
A standard founder agreement records the promise. Goodvernance keeps the promise alive.
Standard Founder Agreement
- Static PDF
- Often forgotten after signature
- Hard to update
- No live vesting view
- No departure simulation
- Limited visibility on assets and access
- Separate versions scattered across files
Goodvernance Founder Agreement
- Signed agreement plus live dashboard
- Vesting tracker
- Founder departure simulator
- IP and asset visibility
- Amendment Center
- Version history
- Platform records and audit trail
Built for GoodFounders
GoodFounders know that ambition means little if it leaves broken relationships behind. They build fast, but they do not build in the dark.
Goodvernance gives GoodFounders the tools to turn commitments into living agreements.
Discover GoodFoundersBuilt from real founder conflict, not theory
Legal experience
Co-founded by a startup lawyer specialized in founder conflicts.
Founder reality
Rooted in real entrepreneurial tensions and lived founder realities.
Living governance
Designed for governance that evolves with the company, not for documents forgotten after signing.
Starting before incorporation. Built to evolve.
Goodvernance starts with the pre-incorporation Founder Agreement. The vision is to help founders keep governance alive as the company grows, from the first agreement to future financing, board decisions and growth.
Simple pricing
Build for free. Sign for $99. Your first month of Goodvernance Live is included.
Build
Answer the questions and preview your Goodvernance Founder Agreement. No account required.
- Full guided builder
- All 12 protections
- Live agreement preview
- No account required
Founder Agreement
Generate, save and send your Goodvernance Founder Agreement for cofounder signature. Includes your first month of Goodvernance Live.
- Agreement generation
- Cofounder invitations
- E-signature flow
- Signed PDF export
- First month of Live included
Goodvernance Live
Your first month is included with the Founder Agreement. After that it renews automatically at $29/month per company. Cancel anytime, no commitment.
- Living dashboard
- Vesting tracker
- Founder departure simulator
- Amendment Center
- Version history
- Audit trail
- Founder Governance Pack export
Build and preview for free. $99 to generate and sign your agreement, with your first month of Goodvernance Live included. After that it renews at $29/month per company. Cancel anytime, no commitment.
Frequently asked questions
Does this incorporate my company?
No. Goodvernance creates a pre-incorporation founder agreement. It does not form a company or file anything with a state.
Does this issue shares?
No. The equity split is an intended allocation between founders, not an issuance of shares. Shares are issued later, when you incorporate.
Is this legal advice?
No. Goodvernance is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. For complex situations, consult a lawyer.
What happens after incorporation?
Export your Founder Governance Pack and use it with your lawyer or incorporation provider to set up the company on agreed terms.
Good is worth building.
Create your Founder Agreement before incorporation. It takes a few minutes, and you do not need an account to start.
Build your Founder Agreement