Formalize advisory relationships with clear equity compensation, FAST-style vesting schedules, acceleration triggers, and scope of services. Industry-standard terms used by thousands of startups and accelerators.
I built this advisor agreement generator to help startups formalize advisory relationships properly from the very beginning. Too many founders rely on handshake deals with advisors, only to face disputes later about equity ownership, vesting terms, or the scope of services expected. A well-drafted advisor agreement protects both the company and the advisor by clearly defining expectations, compensation, confidentiality obligations, and intellectual property rights.
This generator follows the FAST (Founder/Advisor Standard Template) Agreement framework, which is the industry standard used by accelerators like Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups. It includes recommended equity tiers based on company stage (idea, startup, revenue, and growth), vesting schedules with monthly vesting over 24 months, and optional single or double trigger acceleration upon a change of control. The generated document covers all essential sections including definitions, engagement terms, advisory services scope, equity compensation, vesting mechanics, confidentiality, IP assignment, non-compete and non-solicitation provisions, and comprehensive termination clauses.
Every field updates the live preview instantly, so you can see exactly how your agreement will look before downloading. The generator handles complex conditional logic such as cash compensation clauses, advisory board versus individual advisor structures, custom meeting frequency, and acceleration trigger options. Whether you are bringing on a strategic advisor for introductions, a technical advisor for product guidance, or a board-level advisor for governance, this tool generates a professional document that is ready for execution.
Key features include: FAST equity tier recommendations, configurable vesting with cliff options, single and double trigger acceleration, advisory scope definition with time commitment, confidentiality and IP assignment provisions, non-compete and non-solicitation clauses, and dual signature blocks for both company and advisor.
A startup advisor agreement is a legal contract between a company and an individual advisor that formalizes the advisory relationship. It defines the scope of advisory services, compensation (typically equity such as stock options), vesting schedules, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property assignment, and the term of the engagement.
Advisor equity typically ranges from 0.10% to 1.00% of fully-diluted capitalization, depending on the company stage and advisor involvement. The FAST Agreement framework suggests: Idea Stage (0.25%-1.00%), Startup Stage (0.15%-0.50%), Revenue Stage (0.10%-0.25%), and Growth Stage (0.05%-0.15%).
The industry-standard vesting schedule for advisor shares is monthly vesting over 24 months with no cliff period, as recommended by the FAST Agreement. This differs from employee vesting, which typically uses a 4-year schedule with a 1-year cliff.
Single trigger acceleration means all unvested advisor shares immediately vest upon a change of control (acquisition or merger). Double trigger requires two events: a change of control plus termination of the advisor's engagement within a specified period following the change of control. Single trigger is more common in advisory agreements.
Yes, confidentiality and intellectual property assignment provisions are essential. Advisors gain access to sensitive company information and may contribute ideas or work product. These clauses protect the company's proprietary information and ensure any advisor-created IP belongs to the company.
Most advisor agreements include non-compete or conflict of interest provisions that restrict the advisor from providing services to direct competitors. However, since advisors are independent contractors, overly broad non-compete clauses may be unenforceable. A well-drafted agreement includes reasonable non-solicitation provisions while allowing non-conflicting advisory relationships.