Early-Stage Founders Collection | Carta
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.
Getting started
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.
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.
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.
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.
Popular tools
Cap table template
Option pool calculator
QSBS calculator
Pitch deck template
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
VIDEO COURSE
Startup Fundraising 101
Learn about the ins and outs of startup fundraising.
VIDEO COURSE
Cap Table 101
Understand cap tables from the founder’s chair—from incorporation to the exit of a fictional company.
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.
Fundraising
Interact with Carta data using the Round Benchmarking Tool
Discover real-time insights on round sizes, valuations, and dilution with Carta's Round Benchmarking Tool. Tailor benchmarks by stage, sector, and region.
In a slow fundraising environment, investors spy an opportunity for emerging managers
In the midst of a relatively stagnant fundraising environment, emerging fund managers may have an appealing value proposition to present to LPs.
How PE firms are investing in AI amid a once-in-a-generation boom
PE firms typically don't invest in the sort of high-growth startups that dominate the AI market today. But that doesn't mean PE is sitting out the AI revolution.
State of Private Markets: Q1 2026
Venture capital is making a comeback, with $30.4 billion raised in Q1 2026, fewer down rounds and less dilution. However, over 60% of funding went to AI, creating a huge valuation gap for startups.
Equity management
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.
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Equity Management
November 2025
Learn everything you need to know about 409A valuations including what they are, when you need a valuation, valuation methodologies, and the full process.
Equity Management
June 2026
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.
Equity Education
March 2025
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.
Founder Education
August 2023
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.
Equity Education
January 2024
Carta's ever-growing glossary of financial and private equity terms will help you understand the jargon that frequently comes up in the industry.
Equity
December 2025
Learn the fundamentals of company equity, including the different types you will issue and how to manage ownership as you build your business.
Taxes
Fund tax complexity: What your fund structure actually requires
Share tax estimates with your LPs every quarter
IFRS 2 Share-based Payment: Preparing your ESOP for audit in Singapore
What Hong Kong’s “big bang” tax cuts mean for your fund
Explore the Taxes Collection
Founder stories
Mivien Labs
Learn more
Dapple Security
Learn more
Coffee Resurrect
Learn more
Heylist
Learn more
Valuations
Interact with Carta data using the Round Benchmarking Tool
As PE’s exit math changes, investors are finding new ways to drive portfolio growth
How PE firms are investing in AI amid a once-in-a-generation boom
Portfolio holdings, now interactive in Claude
View more
Compensation planning
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.
Compensation
October 2025
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.
Compensation
October 2025
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.
Equity
December 2025
Learn the fundamentals of stock options, including the different types, how they are granted and vested, and the process for exercising and paying taxes.