Business & contractsIndia

Reset a startup that has no clear founder agreement

Get your facts together with a trusted grown-up.

Run a factual reset meeting about past contributions, promises, ownership and the decisions still needing agreement.

DisputePeoplePrep worksheet

Who it goes to: Co-founders and an agreed independent facilitator or company lawyer

Where it applies: India; entity, state, tax and transaction-specific requirements need checking

Prepare this
01 · What is this?

This is a meeting worksheet for founders whose arrangements are unclear.

02 · When is it useful?

Use it when the business has started but roles, money or ownership were never properly recorded.

03 · Start here

Save the original records and agree on a calm meeting agenda.

Gather your pieces

  1. Preserve original messages, invoices, code history, bank records and signed documents; do not backdate or rewrite evidence.
  2. Ask each founder to prepare their own factual timeline before the meeting.
  3. Seek independent advice promptly if there is a live dispute, threatened asset removal or a filing deadline.

Your prep sheet

Replace each [bracketed label] with your own verified details. Open the editor to make it yours, then read it through before sending.

FOUNDER RESET MEETING SHEET
FACTS FIRST; NEW TERMS REQUIRE SEPARATE REVIEW

Date and meeting method: [Document date]
Business: [Business / company details]
Participants / facilitator: [Participants]

Opening words:
“We have been working without a sufficiently clear shared record. Let us separate what happened, what the documents show, and what we would like to agree next.”

A. TIMELINE
For each important event: date / event / person / supporting record / agreed or disputed:
[Timeline]

B. CONTRIBUTIONS
Cash, loans, reimbursements, assets, work, introductions and IP contributed by each person; state the evidence and current owner where known:
[Contributions]

C. EARLIER PROMISES
Exact references to ownership, salary, reimbursement, decision-making or future shares; identify written, verbal and disputed points:
[Earlier promises]
Do not rewrite a disputed promise as an agreed fact.

D. CURRENT POSITION
Verified share records, director or employment status, bank and platform access, contracts and unresolved liabilities:
[Current Position]

E. WHAT WE NEED TO DECIDE
Role, time commitment, pay, ownership proposals, IP, spending controls, reporting and exit options:
[Proposals]

F. TEMPORARY SAFEGUARDS TO DISCUSS
Who may approve essential spending, preserve records and support customers while the review continues:
[Interim questions]
Any temporary authority needs valid approval; this worksheet does not grant it.

G. REVIEW AND FOLLOW-UP
Agreed facts / points still disputed / proposed reviewer / documents needed / next meeting:
[Follow Up]

Read-back:
“We will not backdate documents or assume that this meeting has issued shares, transferred rights or released a claim. We will ask the appropriate advisers to document any final decision.”

Prepared by: [Prepared by]

Your next moves

  1. Circulate a factual meeting record and let each participant identify corrections or disagreements.
  2. Have a lawyer review historical rights and draft any new arrangement without falsely backdating it.
  3. Complete valid approvals and instruments before changing shares, bank authority, employment or IP ownership.

Real-world check

A reset discussion does not erase earlier contracts, messages, conduct or legal rights. Recording an unresolved claim is not admitting it; no automatic equal split, forfeiture or retroactive agreement is created.

Sources & official links