A Guide to Venture Capital Term Sheets
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Introduction What is a Term Sheet? The investment process What terms may be included in a Term Sheet? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Type of share Valuation and milestones Dividend rights Liquidation preference and deemed liquidation Redemption Conversion rights Automatic conversion of share class/series Anti-dilution (or price protection) Founder shares Pre-emption rights on new share issues Right of first refusal, co-sale and tag along rights Drag along or bring along Representations and warranties Voting rights Protective provisions and consent rights (class rights) Board of Directors/Board Observer Information rights Exit Registration rights Confidentiality, Intellectual Property Assignment and Management Non-compete Agreements Employee share option plan Transaction and monitoring fees Confidentiality Exclusivity Enforceability Conditions precedent
2 4 6 8 8 8 9 10 12 12 12 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 23 35
V VI
Venture capital glossary of terms Example of a Term Sheet for a Series A round
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I
Introduction
The BVCA (British Venture Capital Association) has around 165 full member firms. This represents the vast majority of UK-based private equity and venture capital firms. Those firms are invested in over 11,000 companies, which between them employ nearly 3 million people. That is equivalent to around18% of the private sector workforce. Our industry invests in every sector of the economy across all regions of the country. The UK accounts for some 40% of the whole of the European market and on the world stage we are second in size only to the United States. The venture capital investment process is now a well-established means of raising funds for early stage companies, usually those involved in seeking to exploit new developments in technology or life sciences. A privately...
