In the case of venture capital, a pro-rata clause in an investment contract gives the investor the right (but not the obligation) to participate in one or more future financing rounds in order to hold his or her percentage stake in the company. One of the most compelling explanations for how this affects investor momentum comes proportionally from Fred Wilson, a well-known venture capitalist and managing partner of Union Square Ventures in New York. In an article on this topic, he gives the following example: Before we get into the calculations behind this particular round, let`s look at IoW investors and their pro-rated rights. DangerIncrement rights are dangerous for companies because of the dynamics they create with existing and new investors. This week, as we followed Jill and Jack through the process of increasing their Series B round, we learned about pro-rata, one of the most important clauses in a venture capital investment agreement, as it ensures that investors are not diluted in a subsequent round of funding. We also learned how to calculate how much an investor needs to invest to keep their stake in the business. A SAFE pro rata rights agreement is a letter by which a company grants proportionate rights to a SAFE investor. For all investors, these clauses are a risk management strategy, as they add a level of predictability to a generally unpredictable asset class. Especially for angel and seed investors, they guarantee a place at the table in a Series A round.
For other investors, pro-rata clauses allow them to hold percentage positions in their most successful holding companies as they evolve.1 And for companies where maintaining some percentage stake is a prerequisite for maintaining a seat on the board of directors, pro-rata rights help investors maintain this type of oversight. Almost all investors try to negotiate rights on a pro rata basis, because when a company is doing well, they want to own as much as possible. Why not double a winner rather than use the same money to invest in a newer, unproven business? However, in the fundraising climate of 2018-2019, it is safe to say that we are at a “pro-rated peak”. Everyone wants to be proportionate, even those who don`t quite understand how it works or how it affects businesses. Then they say that this document is as it is on the website and you can`t change anything that wasn`t in parentheses. It doesn`t really make sense because I don`t see why there shouldn`t be a split between the cases of a discount and a discount and a cap. I assume that if you hired a lawyer to amend that document, you would also delete that section. Definition Pro-rated rights (or pro-rated fees) in a condition sheet or cover letter guarantee an investor the opportunity to invest an amount in subsequent rounds of financing that retains its stake. Rights under a SAFE pro rata rights agreement may only be exercised after the SAFE has been converted into preferred shares of the Company in a share financing. You then define how the action calculation works in the cap scenario.
This means that just because a VC has pro-rated rights doesn`t mean they have to invest anything in your next round. Founders should assume that they need to earn proportional investors for each additional round of funding. An investor`s equity investment also depends on whether or not it holds reserves for the companies in which he invests. When talking to an investor, it`s worth asking them how they think pro-rated and if they hold reserves for each of their investments in order to take their share. Once you`ve given prorated rights, they tend to survive in the future. This has two implications. First, you need to negotiate with everyone you`ve given pro-rated rights to in previous trades, and if you do well, early investors with pro-rated rights will be encouraged to want to own more of your business (they also have incentives to close the deal so you can continue to grow). One thing to keep in mind with venture capitalists and lawyers is that they tend to use a lot of Latin phrases, including pro-rated. Literally translated, it means “according to the rate”, but in all respects it means “proportional” both in venture capital and in other financial and legal branches. This gives you ownership%.
So if they get 1 million shares and the capitalization is 10 million, they own 10%.. .