Early-Stage Founders Collection | Carta
Essential resources for early-stage founders
Explore our curated collection of articles, guides, and tools to help you grow your business—from pre-seed to Series A and beyond.
Equity management
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.
Equity Education
Date: January 2024
Article: 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.
Equity
Date: August 2024
Article: Fair Value (FV)
Learn what fair value means for stock, how to determine a stock’s value, and why 409A or IFRS 13 valuations are so crucial for private companies.
Equity Management
Date: June 2026
Article: Equity management explained for founders
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.
Fundraising
Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE)
Pre-money SAFEs vs post-money SAFEs
Are you ready to make the leap from seed to Series A?
Get market insights and guidance from investors on fundraising in today’s climate.
Customer stories
Why Singapore-based Mito Health believes Carta is necessary for any startup
Learn more
Why Umami Bioworks chose Carta over Pulley for its international startup
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How Carta helped Singapore-based iPiD fundraise with confidence while scaling
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Popular tools
Equity compensation
Author: The Carta Team
Date: August 2024
Featured article: Option pools
A stock option pool’s size affects share prices, ownership dilution, and company value. Here’s what you need to know to calculate an employee option pool.
Equity
Date: December 2025
Article: 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.
Compensation
Date: March 2026
Article: Employee compensation: A founder's guide to compensation packages
Learn how to build a competitive employee compensation package to attract top talent and stay compliant as you scale.
Compensation
Date: March 2026
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.