Our curated collection for early-stage founders

Get inspired and level-up with articles, guides, and tools to help you go from pre-seed to Series B—and everything in between.
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Getting started

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Author: The Carta Team
Date: January 2026
featured article
How to start a startup: A clear path for founders
Learn the foundational steps to start your startup, from finding a problem and building a team to setting up your legal structure and raising your first funds.
Building your founding team
Founder Education
February 2024
Building your founding team
In this article, we’ll cover the various startup positions, when to bring on which type of founding team member, and general guidelines to help you build your founding team.
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Startup metrics and KPIs
Founder Education
January 2024
Startup metrics and KPIs
This glossary covers the basic startup metrics and startup KPIs to know and when to use them to help grow your business.
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Startup accelerators
Founder Education
September 2024
Startup accelerators
Joining an accelerator can be a game-changer, providing startups with mentorship, resources, and funding at a key moment in their development.
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Popular tools

Cap table template

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Option pool calculator

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QSBS calculator

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Pitch deck template

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Building a team

How to find a co-founder for your startup

A founder’s guide to selecting a startup law firm

How to find a startup advisor

Board of directors (BoD): What founders need to know

Video courses

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VIDEO COURSE

Cap Table 101

Understand cap tables from the founder’s chair—from incorporation to the exit of a fictional company.
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VIDEO COURSE

The seed round

Ready to create your first cap table? Begin the journey of a fictional company as we build a cap table from scratch, bring in an advisor, raise early funding rounds, and hire our first employees.
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VIDEO COURSE

Startup Fundraising 101

Learn about the ins and outs of startup fundraising.
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Cap Table 101

Understand cap tables from the founder’s chair—from incorporation to the exit of a fictional company.
Lesson 3: How dilution works thumbnail

The seed round

Ready to create your first cap table? Begin the journey of a fictional company as we build a cap table from scratch, bring in an advisor, raise early funding rounds, and hire our first employees.

Fundraising

A disappearing middle: Why the pre-seed market is growing increasingly barbell-shaped

The smallest pre-seed rounds are growing more common, and the largest pre-seed rounds keep growing. Instead of a bell curve, the pre-seed funding market is assuming a very different shape.

At early stages of VC, rising round sizes and record-breaking valuations

The median post-money valuation climbed to $24 million at the seed stage in Q4, and to $78.7 million at Series A. Why do these numbers keep on going up?

Capital structure: A founder's guide to ownership

Learn how to build and manage your company’s capital structure. Understand the key differences between debt and equity and how to track ownership as you fundraise and grow.

Ranking the top startup ecosystems of 2025

The San Francisco Bay Area was the top U.S. metro area for startup fundraising in 2025, with 41.3% of overall cash raised. Which ecosystems come next on the list?

A disappearing middle: Why the pre-seed market is growing increasingly barbell-shaped

At early stages of VC, rising round sizes and record-breaking valuations

Capital structure: A founder's guide to ownership

Explore the Fundraising Collection
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The easiest way to issue SAFEs
Create agreements, collect signatures, and receive funding—all through one connected platform.
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Equity management

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Author: The Carta Team
Date: November 2025
featured article
Cap tables
This guide explains everything you need to know about cap tables, from building your first one to managing company ownership as you prepare for fundraising and growth.
409A Valuations
Equity Management
November 2025
409A Valuations
Learn everything you need to know about 409A valuations including what they are, when you need a valuation, valuation methodologies, and the full process.
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Equity management
Founder Education
March 2025
Equity management
As your company grows, equity management can get complex. This comprehensive guide explains the basics of equity management and why it is essential for startup success.
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Fair market value (FMV)
Equity Education
March 2025
Fair market value (FMV)
Learn about fair market value, what it means for stock, how to determine a stock’s fair market value, and why 409A valuations are so crucial for private companies.
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Co-founder equity split
Founder Education
August 2023
Co-founder equity split
Finding an equity split that all co-founders are comfortable with is complicated. Learn some of the key ways to split equity and gain insights into the best path for you.
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Equity glossary
Equity Education
January 2024
Equity glossary
Carta's ever-growing glossary of financial and private equity terms will help you understand the jargon that frequently comes up in the industry.
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Equity in business: A founder's perspective
Equity
December 2025
Equity in business: A founder's perspective
Learn the fundamentals of company equity, including the different types you will issue and how to manage ownership as you build your business.
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Taxes

The year-round problem with seasonal tax thinking

Venture capital tax treatment

Why your K-1s are late: Who’s responsible?

Business tax deadlines 2026: Corporations and LLCs

Explore the Taxes Collection
Product-market fit and go-to-market: Insights from an early-stage VC
Rebecca Lynn, co-founder and general partner at Canvas Ventures, shares strategies for early-stage companies looking to grow their customer base.
Read her story

Founder stories

Mivien Labs
Dapple Security
Coffee Resurrect
Heylist
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Try Carta Launch
Issue equity and SAFEs, track ownership, and manage your cap table with Carta's free platform for early-stage founders.
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Valuations

Ranking the top startup ecosystems of 2025

A disappearing middle: Why the pre-seed market is growing increasingly barbell-shaped

At early stages of VC, rising round sizes and record-breaking valuations

ASC 820: A fund’s guide to fair value measurement

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Compensation planning

Josh Steinfeld leads product strategy for Carta Total Compensation. Josh has been a compensation professional for the last 20 years, most recently leading compensation at Google for YouTube and Google’s corporate functions.
Author: Josh Steinfeld
Date: March 2026
featured article
Compensation philosophy: Creating a framework for compensation
Learn how to create your first compensation philosophy, a clear framework that will help you make consistent decisions regarding compensation as you build your team.
Understanding salary benchmarking for startups
Compensation
October 2025
Understanding salary benchmarking for startups
Learn how salary benchmarking helps startups attract and retain talent by setting fair, competitive compensation. This guide covers key factors, implementation strategies, and solutions for effective salary and equity planning.
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Salary bands: A startup founder’s guide
Compensation
October 2025
Salary bands: A startup founder’s guide
Learn how salary bands provide fair, consistent pay tied to responsibility, experience, and market data, making them a vital tool for founders aiming to attract and retain top talent.
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How stock options work
Equity
December 2025
How stock options work
Learn the fundamentals of stock options, including the different types, how they are granted and vested, and the process for exercising and paying taxes.
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Explore the Compensation Collection

Latest articles

Business tax deadlines 2026: Corporations and LLCs
Founder Education
March 2026
Business tax deadlines 2026: Corporations and LLCs
Key tax deadlines are coming up in 2026 for LLC and corporation businesses. Here are the dates and IRS forms you need to know.
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Founder Ownership Report 2026
Data & Research
March 2026
Founder Ownership Report 2026
How do startups divide their equity among co-founders and other key shareholders? This first-of-its-kind data report offers a comprehensive guide.
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Switching to Carta from AngelList or Pulley
Cap Table
March 2026
Switching to Carta from AngelList or Pulley
Carta’s cap table is the core of a flexible operating system for equity management. See why investors and law firms choose Carta to support growth.
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The hidden costs of choosing a cap table for short-term savings
Cap Table
March 2026
The hidden costs of choosing a cap table for short-term savings
Founders seeking a new cap table solution can avoid common pitfalls by choosing a provider based on strategy over urgency.
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Qualified small business stock (QSBS)
Educational Essentials
February 2026
Qualified small business stock (QSBS)
Understand the qualified small business requirements and how to take advantage of QSBS tax treatment for eligible stock options.
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How stock options are taxed: A complete guide
Equity
January 2026
How stock options are taxed: A complete guide
Learn about stock options taxes, including the tax treatment differences between ISOs and NSOs, holding periods, exercising, and the alternative minimum tax.
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Filing an 83(b) election: What every founder needs to know
Equity
January 2026
Filing an 83(b) election: What every founder needs to know
Learn what a Section 83(b) election is and how it can lower your future tax bill. Get clarity on important due dates, filing information, and what to include in form 83(b).
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Equity in business: A founder's perspective
Equity
December 2025
Equity in business: A founder's perspective
Learn the fundamentals of company equity, including the different types you will issue and how to manage ownership as you build your business.
View
How stock options work
Equity
December 2025
How stock options work
Learn the fundamentals of stock options, including the different types, how they are granted and vested, and the process for exercising and paying taxes.
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