Delaware C-Corp vs German GmbH
Which entity US investors need, and when a GmbH is enough.
Delaware flip from Germany
Steps, costs, tax traps and timing for German founders.
ESOP vs VSOP in Germany
Virtual shares vs real options for German startup employees.
Founder vesting in Germany
How reverse vesting works with a notary, and good vs bad leaver.
Notary costs in a German financing round
What the notary does, how fees are set and how to keep them down.
Place of effective management
The tax risk of running a Delaware company from Germany.
The 83(b) election for non-US founders
The 30-day deadline and when it matters outside the US.
UG vs GmbH for a startup
Capital, notary, investor perception — which to start with.
Can a German GmbH use a SAFE?
Why the US SAFE does not fit a GmbH, and the German alternatives.
How to choose a valuation cap
Work back from dilution, not from what a friend raised at.
Liquidation preference in plain numbers
1x non-participating vs participating, at three exit values.
Post-money SAFE dilution, worked example
Two SAFEs, one Series A, every number shown.
Pro rata rights explained
What they are, who should get them, and what they cost later.
The option pool shuffle
Why the employee pool usually comes out of your share.
Can you post about your raise?
What founders may say on LinkedIn, X and TikTok about a round.
Crowd and VCs in the same round
How side-by-side Reg CF and Reg D raises work.
Funding portal vs broker-dealer
What each may do for you, and why it matters when choosing a platform.
Raising under ECSPR as a founder
The KIIS, the investor test and the four-day cooling-off.
Reg CF vs Reg D vs Reg A+
One table to choose the US exemption that fits your raise.
What a Reg CF raise really costs
Portal fees, escrow, CPA, legal and marketing, line by line.
Why German crowdfunding uses loans
Subordinated profit-participating loans explained.
Cold emails to investors
The structure that gets replies, with examples.
How long a pre-seed takes
A realistic week-by-week timeline, US vs Europe.
How to raise a pre-seed round
The US and European playbook, step by step.
How to record a 60-second pitch video
Script, shots, sound and what to cut.
Investor update template
A monthly update that gets you your next round.
Pre-seed data room checklist
What to include, US and German versions, and what to leave out.
Pre-seed vs seed
What investors expect at each stage.
Reaching investors without a warm intro
Seven routes, and the legal limit on paid finders.
The pre-seed pitch deck
Ten slides and what goes on each.
Traction before revenue
Nine metrics that count at pre-seed, and how to present them.
How to find the right investors
A method for matching stage, sector and cheque size.
How to research a VC in 20 minutes
A checklist using free sources before you pitch.
Popular isn't investable
The signals investors actually trust, and the ones they ignore.
Equity for first employees
How much to give early hires, US vs Europe.
What a nearshore developer really costs
The total cost model, not just the day rate.
Your first engineering hire
In-house, freelance or nearshore after a pre-seed.
SAFE vs convertible note vs priced round: what you are actually signing
A founder's practical guide to conversion, dilution, maturity and priced-round documents.
European crowdfunding regulation: how ECSPR works, and what licensing actually costs
A practical guide to the European crowdfunding service providers regulation, its passport, investor safeguards and costs.
Testing the waters: how to ask investors if they are interested before you raise
An evidence-led guide to US testing-the-waters communications, indications of interest and distinct EU crowdfunding rules.
Accredited investor verification: who qualifies, and who has to prove it?
A practical guide to Rule 501(a) accredited investor categories and the evidence required under Rules 506(b) and 506(c).
The crowd cap table: what 400 small investors do to your next round
How community-round ownership and administration affect a follow-on institutional seed.
Who can introduce you to investors? Brokers, portals and finders
A practical explanation of US broker registration, compensated introductions, Reg CF portals, the finder proposal and contractual consequences.
Regulation Crowdfunding, ten years in: how Reg CF actually works, and where it breaks
A working guide to Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) for founders and investors.
The SPV explained: how one line on your cap table pools twenty investors and closes in seven days
A working guide to Special Purpose Vehicles in venture.
KYC, KYB, and AML for platforms: what verification actually costs, and why it protects both sides
A practitioner's tour of identity, business, and anti-money-laundering verification for platforms.