MAST Equity Framework
Mentor Agreement Standard Template
In our continued effort to support early-stage technology founders and the global community of enterprise IT decision-makers, we’ve partnered with Cooley, the leading technology law firm, to create tools for simplifying mentor arrangements in a compliant manner.
MAST
Mentor Agreement Standard Template
A fully compliant, customizable agreement template designed to satisfy legal requirements for mentors, founders, and the mentors’ employers.
Download the MAST to streamline your mentor arrangements today
Fc is providing this template for reference only and does not assume any responsibility for this document or any consequences of using this document. Nothing in this document constitutes legal or tax advice. The parties are encouraged to seek advice from an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction(s) before relying on this document. While we strive to update this document periodically based on changes to applicable laws in the United States, we do not guarantee that it complies with or will be enforceable under applicable laws.
Mentor Equity
Framework
A clear, structured guide to help early-stage companies and mentors establish equitable agreements. Please utilize the seniority, scope and stage criteria and framework below to determine the appropriate amount of equity. We have provided two examples of equity framework further below.
Please select one of the three seniority options that's most appropriate for the mentor that will be retained. Please choose and indicate any and all applicable tasks that will be under the scope of this mentorship. Use our suggested framework as a guide; less than four tasks, four to six tasks, and seven or more tasks. Finally, choose the most appropriate stage for the early stage company; Idea, Startup or Growth, based on the suggested criteria we provided. With all three selections determined, use the following three matrices at the bottom to find the appropriate amount of basis points recommended by Fc Centripetal.
Once you've chosen the three most appropriate options above for Seniority, Scope and Stage, please use guide below to identify the recommended amount of equity compensation.
We recommend monthly vesting over a 1 - 2 year timeframe after an initial 30 - 90 day cliff, as a flexible standard.
You have a company with no revenue that has completed its MVP (Minimum Viable Product). It hasn’t raised any funding yet but is ready to bring on a mentor—a CTO from a mid-sized enterprise with 700 employees. The mentor’s role would involve assistance across multiple areas. Based on this scenario, the company would be classified as Idea Stage, the mentor’s Seniority would be C-Suite, and the Scope of involvement would be Medium so this would result in 135bps of equity from the founder to the mentor.
You have a startup that has moved beyond its initial MVP and is starting to establish itself in the market. The company is now collaborating with a Head of Infrastructure from a Fortune 500 company, a highly experienced leader just one step removed from the C-Suite. The mentor’s involvement would require a high level of interaction, focusing on critical areas like scaling infrastructure, operational strategy, and technology optimization. Given this scenario, the company would be classified as Start-Up Stage, the mentor’s Seniority would be 1 Step Removed from the C-Suite, and the Scope would be High, resulting in 90bps.
These tools are designed for convenience and can be used as a reference or starting point to document and formalize mentor relationships effectively.