STUDIO / The Studio / Equity model
Skin in
your game.
A technical co-founder costs 10-50% of your company. An agency costs your runway. We built the option in between: a small stake, earned monthly, tied to us actually delivering.
01 The terms, in plain English
5-15%
The stake
Agreed upfront based on scope and stage. Early idea with a big build: higher end. Funded startup with revenue: lower end. Fixed in the contract before we write a line of code.
1/12 per month
The vesting
The stake vests monthly across the 12-month term. Cancel at month 3? We keep 3/12 of the agreed equity, you keep everything we shipped. Nobody is trapped.
STD.
The paperwork
Standard, lawyer-familiar instruments: advisor-style agreements or warrants in your existing entity (e.g. Delaware C-corp for US founders). No exotic structures your investors will choke on. Your counsel reviews everything.
02 Why we work this way
Vendors get paid either way.
Owners only win if it works.
When an agency bills $60k upfront, its incentive ends at the invoice. When we hold 5-15% of your company vesting over a year, our incentive is your product working, your users staying, and your next round happening. We make architecture decisions for year three, not for the handover date.
It also means we say no a lot. We take on a small number of equity partners per quarter and screen like an investor: is the market real, can this founder sell, is there a wedge? If we pass, we’ll tell you why, and the cash-only plan remains open to you.
FAQ What founders ask about the equity model
Will an Indian company on my cap table scare investors?
We use standard advisor-style agreements and warrants rather than direct share transfers where it does not fit. These are the same instruments accelerators and advisors use every day: clean, familiar and diligence-friendly. Your lawyer signs off before anything is executed.
Do you take board seats or control?
No. No board seat, no veto, no information rights beyond a normal minority holder. You run your company; we build your product.
What happens to the equity if you underdeliver?
Vesting is monthly and you can terminate. Equity we have not vested never existed. Our downside protection is delivery, which is the point.
Can I buy the equity back later?
Often, yes. Buyback terms can be written into the agreement upfront if that matters to you. Ask on the call.