Understanding Cap Tables and Equity Dilution for Founders

A plain-language, India-specific guide to the cap table from the founder's side of the table, built for startup founders, treasury teams, HR and L&D professionals, and employees who want to understand how ownership in their company is divided and why it keeps changing. Learn what a cap table records, how authorised capital, issued shares and face value work under the Companies Act, and why fully diluted ownership is the only number that matters. Split equity among co-founders without wrecking the partnership, protect the company with founder vesting and leaver clauses, and hand out equity to early hires and advisors sensibly. See exactly how each fundraise dilutes you, why the ESOP pool is negotiated before the round, and how CCDs and iSAFEs land on the cap table. Go beyond percentages to understand control, board seats, liquidation preference, anti-dilution and secondary sales, then learn to keep a clean, compliant cap table through allotments, transfers and MCA filings. Finish with the mistakes that break due diligence and a case study following one founder's stake from incorporation to Series C.