Every startup begins with optimism. But long before fundraising, hiring, or scaling, founders make one of the most important decisions in the life of the company: how they structure their relationship with each other.
Founder agreements shape everything, from equity splits and vesting to decision-making and what happens if a founder leaves. When expectations aren’t aligned early, even strong teams can run into serious problems later.
Join Charlie O'Donnell of nextNYC for a conversation with Ravi Ravulaparthi of Qapita, along with Lindsay Kaplan, as they unpack the real purpose of founder agreements and the issues founders should address early.
In this discussion, we’ll explore:
How founders should think about equity splits and vesting
Decision-making structures and avoiding future deadlocks
What happens when a founder steps back or leaves the company
The common mistakes teams make when formalizing founder relationships
What investors often look for when evaluating founding teams
Whether you're just starting a company or already building with co-founders, this session will help you think more carefully about the agreements that shape the future of your business.
Speakers:
Lindsay Kaplan, Co-Founder of Chief & Investor at Bullish
Lindsay Kaplan is a co-founder, investor, advisor, and board member. She is currently Venture Partner at Bullish, where she invests in early-stage consumer companies. Kaplan co-founded Chief, the premier network for executive women, helping scale it from an idea into a billion-dollar company and one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies. She now serves on Chief’s Board of Directors. Earlier in her career, Kaplan was a founding team member at Casper, where she served as VP of Communications and Brand Marketing and helped transform the startup into a global brand that defined an entirely new category. Today, she works with founders and leadership teams on company building, brand strategy, and the realities of scaling modern startups.
Ravi Ravulaparthi, Co-Founder & CEO of Qapita
Ravi is the CEO and Co-founder of Qapita, a fintech platform digitizing equity ownership in SEA startups. A seasoned investment banker with 17 years of experience at firms like Macquarie and BNP Paribas, he brings expertise in capital raising, M&A, and corporate strategy. He's also an active angel investor and strategic advisor to entrepreneurs in the region.
Moderated by Charlie O'Donnell of nextNYC.
Thanks to our sponsor Qapita for making this webinar possible!
Qapita is a global equity management platform that helps startups and scaleups manage cap tables, employee equity, and investor reporting with clarity and confidence. Trusted by companies from early stage through IPO, Qapita simplifies equity administration across jurisdictions while giving founders, finance teams, and investors a real-time view of ownership.