Advisor Equity Agreement
An Advisor Equity Agreement is a contract in which a company grants an individual advisor the right to a defined equity stake, subject to a vesting schedule, in exchange for ongoing advisory services over a set term. Use this when a startup wants to bring on an advisor — for expertise, introductions, or guidance — and compensate them with equity that vests over time instead of, or in addition to, cash.
What's included
A ready-to-use advisor equity agreement with signature fields already placed for Company and Advisor. Fill in the bracketed details (like [Company Name] or [Date]) using Docracy's built-in text editor, then send it out for signature.
This is a general template for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney to review it for your specific situation and jurisdiction before use.
Key clauses
- Description of advisory services to be provided
- Equity grant amount and type
- Vesting schedule and cliff period
- Confidentiality obligations
- Assignment of IP created as part of the advisory work
- Term, termination, and treatment of unvested equity
- Advisor's independent contractor status
What you'll fill in
[Company Name][Advisor Name][Effective Date][Advisory Services Description][Equity Amount/Percentage][Vesting Period][Cliff Period][Termination Notice Period]Legal summary
Signing this agreement obligates the advisor to provide the described services and, in exchange, gives them a contractual right to the granted equity as it vests — not immediate outright ownership. Equity grants carry real tax consequences (including for the company's cap table and the advisor's personal tax situation) and interact with corporate formation documents in ways that vary by entity type and jurisdiction, so this template is a starting point, not a substitute for review by a lawyer and accountant before signing.
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.
FAQ
Is this Advisor Equity Agreement legally binding?
Signing through Docracy uses a simple electronic signature (SES), which is legally recognized for everyday business agreements under laws like the U.S. ESIGN Act and the EU's eIDAS regulation. This is a general template, not legal advice — for high-stakes or regulated agreements, have a qualified attorney review it for your situation.
Who needs to sign this Advisor Equity Agreement?
This template includes signature fields for Company and Advisor — already placed, so you just fill in the details and send.
Can I edit this Advisor Equity Agreement before sending it?
Yes — Docracy's editor lets you edit the text, add or remove signature fields, redact sections, and reorder pages before you send it.
Do I need an account to send this Advisor Equity Agreement?
No — it's free for up to 2 signers with no account required. Create a free account only if you want to save it to a dashboard or reuse it later.
Try it with an AI assistant
Paste one of these into ChatGPT, Claude, or your assistant of choice:
“Generate a filled Advisor Equity Agreement using this template for a startup advisor granted 0.25% equity.”
“Explain the difference between a cliff period and a vesting schedule in this Advisor Equity Agreement.”
“What questions should I ask a lawyer before signing this Advisor Equity Agreement as the advisor?”
Why teams start with Docracy
“Docracy is a great product that I have tested and am using. It is easy to use, has good tools, is always up to date, and implements new features. Highly recommended.”— DACH Advisory
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.