Templates for raising capital, structuring ownership, and closing investment rounds — built or vetted for New Zealand founders.
This page covers the documents founders need once ownership, dilution, or investor rights enter the picture. These templates form the legal and commercial backbone of early-stage fundraising in New Zealand
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🚨 Disclaimer: The resources on this page are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Use of these materials does not create a lawyer–client relationship. For legal advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified New Zealand lawyer.
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📖 AANZ Startup & Investment Glossary
Capital raising comes with its own language — and misunderstandings get expensive fast.
Maintained by the Angel Association of New Zealand, this glossary provides clear, NZ-relevant definitions for the terms founders encounter when raising from angels and early-stage investors — from dilution and liquidation preferences to SAFEs, notes, and term sheets.
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| Template | What it Is | Use When | Link / Full URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shareholders’ Agreement (NZ) | Governs the relationship between founders and investors, including control, exits, and reserved matters. | When issuing shares to investors. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| IP Assignment Deed (NZ) | Assigns IP into the company as part of investment readiness. | Before or during a capital raise. | https://whatfounderswant.com/expert-editions/startup-legal |
| Term Sheet – Equity Investment (NZ) | A non-binding summary of agreed commercial terms for an equity round. | When negotiating an angel or seed round. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| Subscription Agreement (NZ) | Legally documents the investment and conditions to completion. | When closing an equity investment round. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| Subscription Joinder Agreement (NZ) | Allows new investors to join an existing shareholders’ agreement. | When adding investors after an initial round. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| Simple Constitution Template (NZ) | Founder-friendly constitution for early-stage companies. | First raise or founder-led round. | https://whatfounderswant.com/expert-editions/startup-legal |
| Constitution – Ordinary Shares (NZ) | Constitution aligned to issuing ordinary shares. | When formalising ownership post-raise. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| Constitution – Preference Shares (NZ) | Constitution supporting preference share rights (e.g. liquidation preference). | When raising a priced equity round. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| SAFE-Style Templates (NZ) | Simplified agreements for future equity without setting valuation. | Early fundraising where speed matters. | https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/resources/templates/ |
| Convertible Note Agreement – Tranched (NZ) | A convertible loan instrument that can convert into equity on a qualifying event — NZ example, for adaptation with legal advice. | When raising early capital and deferring valuation. | https://smartinvestor.sorted.org.nz/assets/disclose-documents/1f/2e/ce/Convertible-Note-Agreement-Tranche-1.pdf |
| https://smartinvestor.sorted.org.nz/assets/disclose-documents/9d/0a/2e/Convertible-Note-Agreement-Tranche-2.pdf | |||
| Cap Table Template (NZ) | Tracks ownership, dilution, and securities. | Before and during any capital raise. | https://go.legalvision.co.nz/Startup-Equity-Toolkit-NZ.html |
| Cap Table Template (International) | |||
| A downloadable Excel cap table showing ownership, dilution, and share classes. | Before and during any capital raise. | https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/excel/capitalization-table-template/ | |
| Startup Financial Model (International) | Investor-ready financial projections. | Preparing to raise capital. | https://www.openvc.app/blog/startup-financial-model |
Most founders raise capital without clear visibility into how venture investors actually evaluate startups — and why some opportunities move fast while others stall.
Built by James Palmer (Blackbird Ventures), this Expert Edition breaks down how VCs think, what signals matter at each stage, and how investors assess teams, traction, and narrative before committing capital.