Legal foundations for your startup
Get the contracts right from day one. Co-founder agreements, NDAs, and service contracts built for early-stage companies — without the $500/hour legal bill.
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Essential contracts for startups
Every contract is generated fresh for your specific situation — not a generic fill-in-the-blank form.
Co-Founder Agreement
Define equity splits, roles, vesting schedules, and decision-making authority before building together. The most important contract a startup signs.
- Equity distribution and vesting schedule
- Roles, responsibilities, and decision authority
- IP assignment and departure terms
Startup NDA
Protect your idea, business model, and proprietary information when talking to investors, potential hires, and partners.
- Protection of business plans and financials
- Non-circumvention clause
- Investor and partner pitch confidentiality
Contractor Service Agreement
Hire developers, designers, and specialists with clear terms around deliverables, IP assignment, and payment — critical for pre-revenue startups.
- Work-for-hire IP assignment to company
- Deliverable specifications and timelines
- Payment terms for bootstrapped budgets
How it works
Tell us your situation
Answer a few questions about your specific needs — parties involved, key terms, and jurisdiction.
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Export and sign
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Why startups choose contract.diy
Built for your needs
Contracts tailored to the specific situations startups actually face — not generic forms you have to adapt.
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Review every clause, edit anything inline, and adjust to match your specific situation before downloading.
Common questions from startups
- Why do co-founders need a written agreement?
- Co-founder disputes are the #1 startup killer. A written agreement prevents misunderstandings about equity, roles, and what happens if someone leaves. It's far easier to agree on these terms when the relationship is strong than to negotiate them during a conflict.
- Should I use an NDA when pitching to investors?
- Most VCs won't sign NDAs before a pitch — it's an industry norm. However, NDAs are essential for conversations with potential co-founders, employees, contractors, and strategic partners who might access proprietary information about your technology or business model.
- What contracts does an early-stage startup need?
- At minimum: co-founder agreement, contractor agreements (for any outside work), NDAs (for sensitive conversations), and terms of service + privacy policy (once you have users). As you grow, add employment agreements, advisor agreements, and investor documents.
- How should I handle IP assignment for my startup?
- Every person who contributes to your product — founders, employees, contractors — should sign an IP assignment agreement. This ensures the company owns all intellectual property. Without it, contributors could claim ownership of code, designs, or inventions they created.
- Can I use these contracts to raise funding?
- Our contracts cover operational agreements (co-founder, contractor, NDA), not investment instruments like SAFEs, convertible notes, or priced rounds. However, having professional operational contracts in place signals maturity to investors and is part of standard due diligence.
Related Resources
Explore more contract templates, guides, and legal terms for startups.
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