“Every new shareholder is a new voice in the room - so you’d better make sure they’re singing from the same song sheet.”
 - Matt Glynn

Founders get excited about bringing in new shareholders. More capital. More connections. More momentum. But here's the catch - you're not just getting a cheque. You're adding someone to your company’s DNA.

New shareholders can bring huge upside. But if you don't prepare properly, they can also bring dilution, distraction, and drama. From the rights they demand to the influence they wield, a badly managed new shareholder entry can fracture founder control, confuse governance, and derail the business.

Legal issues like this are easy to overlook. Everyone’s focused on valuation, speed, and sealing the deal. But if you haven’t done the groundwork - if you don’t know how the shareholding will change, what rights will shift, and what’s expected from the new party - your company could end up uninvestable.

In this “start up stage review”, we’re going to flag up some considerations to help you better prepare to tackle this part of your start up journey - before it tackles you.

Getting ready for new shareholders is an important stage of the start-up journey because:

◼️Dilution Awareness: it forces founders to understand the real impact of giving away equity.

◼️Rights Negotiation: it allows clear negotiation of what new shareholders can and can’t do.

◼️Governance Impact: it affects who can vote, control decisions, or block future actions.

◼️Cap Table Clarity: it helps maintain an accurate and healthy ownership structure.

◼️Onboarding Strategy: it ensures the new shareholder understands their role and expectations.

◼️Strategic Fit: it allows the startup to assess if the new shareholder adds more than just cash (e.g. expertise, networks, reputation).

◼️Legal Compliance: it ensures share issuances are done lawfully and documented correctly.

◼️Investor Confidence: it signals maturity and control to both new and existing investors.

◼️Exit Planning: it affects future flexibility to exit or restructure the business.

◼️Conflict Prevention: it reduces the risk of surprises, disagreements, or power imbalances

The consequences of not attending to this issue may include the following: 

1. Legal Implications

◼️Unlawful Issuance: issuing shares without board or shareholder approval can be void.

◼️Disputed Rights: failure to document new rights clearly can trigger disputes later.

◼️Non-Compliant Instruments: poorly structured convertible notes or SAFEs can breach securities laws.

2. Founder Relationship Issues

◼️Surprise Dilution: founders may realise too late how much equity they’ve surrendered.

◼️Loss of Control: new shareholders may gain blocking rights or board seats without full understanding.

◼️Misaligned Interests: founders and new shareholders may differ on vision, timeline, or strategy.

3. Commercial Implications

◼️Investor Concerns: future investors may avoid messy or poorly documented cap tables.

◼️Performance Expectations: new shareholders expecting active roles may become frustrated.

◼️Risks: reputation can be affected if an unsuitable shareholder is brought in.

4. Operational Implications

◼️Governance Complexity: more shareholders = more approvals, more voices, more process.

◼️Board Confusion: unclear appointment or voting rights disrupt decision-making.

◼️Handover Gaps: lack of onboarding = poor alignment on goals and business operations.

5. Biz Valuation Issues

◼️Equity Overhang: too many shareholders, especially inactive ones, can suppress valuation.

◼️Exit Restrictions: tag-along/drag-along rights not aligned = exit friction or blockages.

◼️Inflexibility: early missteps in structuring shareholder rights can’t easily be reversed.

The above lists are indicative issues – the relevance of which will depend on your circumstances, including the nature of business undertaken by your start up.

“It’s not just who you take money from - it’s how, when, and on what terms.”

We’ve identified quite a number of potential issues that the start-up needs to consider and below are some examples of the types of steps you might want to consider taking to address these issues considered above 

1. Conduct a Cap Table Impact Assessment

◼️Work out how new shares will affect founder and early investor holdings.

◼️Use modelling tools to simulate post-money ownership and control scenarios.

2. Decide on the Right Investment Structure

◼️Choose between direct equity (subscription), convertible notes, or SAFEs based on timing, valuation readiness, and investor profile.

◼️Ensure the structure is legally compliant and aligned with your long-term goals.

3. Define Shareholder Rights Clearly

◼️Document rights in the Shareholders Agreement and Articles of Association.

◼️Clarify voting power, board rights, vetoes, pre-emption rights, and exit rights.

4. Formalise the Investment with a Subscription Agreement

◼️Set out the number of shares issued, price per share, warranties, and payment mechanics.

◼️Ensure terms are aligned with existing agreements and regulatory filings.

5. Evaluate Strategic Value, Not Just Cash

◼️Assess what the new shareholder brings - networks, expertise, credibility, market access.

◼️Use side letters or advisory agreements where appropriate.

6. Onboard New Shareholders Professionally

◼️Brief them on company strategy, governance processes, and culture.

◼️Set expectations for involvement, communication, and boundaries.

The above suggestions are just a few of the steps you can consider taking.
There are many more things that need to be done to ensure the associated risks are effectively and pragmatically dealt with.

We’re not trying to be alarmists and go so far as to say that some of the legal risks we have flagged may never materialise for your business - but others can hit like a freight train.

The key point is awareness – just have a think about the issue – know that it exists and decide for yourself what you want to do.

Yes, we know you're juggling limited time, money, and human bandwidth. Sometimes ignoring a legal risk might even make sense – providing doing so is not illegal.

However, “Knowledge” has always been your greatest asset and know you have the GLS Knowledge Centre to help fill in details about the start up journey.

Let’s look at how things can go sideways:

Case Study 1: “The Control Shift”
 A startup accepted investment from a strategic partner who was granted veto rights on all major decisions. The founders didn’t realise this until trying to raise a Series A - which the new shareholder blocked to preserve their own commercial advantage.

Case Study 2: “The Dilution Blowback”
 A founder promised 5% equity to a new backer via a handshake deal. When the formal share issue happened, the founder didn’t model the impact - and realised they had lost majority control. The fallout led to the co-founder exiting.

Case Study 3: “The Unfit Shareholder”
 A startup brought on a local investor known for aggressive tactics. No side agreement was signed. Within six months, the investor was demanding staff cuts and threatening legal action over board decisions. The founders had no contractual protection.

As a start-up operator you may not be familiar with legal jargon. As you navigate this stage of your start-up journey – you might encounter the following legal definitions:

◼️Share Subscription Agreement: A legal contract governing the issuance of shares to a new investor in exchange for cash or other consideration.

◼️Convertible Note: A debt instrument that converts into equity upon the occurrence of specified events (e.g. funding round).

◼️Pre-Emption Rights: Rights that allow existing shareholders the first opportunity to purchase new shares to avoid dilution.

Watch out for the legal jargon and refer to the knowledge hub for an extensive legal dictionary that you can access at any time:
 https://www.gls-startuplaw.com/legal-ops-terminology

Raising capital is exciting - but every new shareholder brings new complexity. Don’t get distracted by the size of the cheque and forget what’s being sold in return: influence, equity, control.

If you’re not thinking strategically about how you bring shareholders in, what rights they’ll expect, and how your business evolves as a result - you’re handing over the keys to your business without even checking who’s in the passenger seat.

GLS can help you structure shareholder entry in a way that maximises value while protecting your business and your team.

GLS may well be able to help you navigate the issues associated with the New Shareholders stage.
 Few, if any, integrated legal solution providers have made themselves as accessible to the start-up community as we have.

Consider engaging with GLS via any of the following means:

◼️GLS Start Up Centre: visit our world-leading start-up legal support resource – we might have a solution “ready to go” available to you at a fraction of the cost – visit www.gls-startuplaw.com

◼️GLS Knowledge Hub: check out the knowledge hub for more information on this issue to learn more about what you need to do
 https://www.gls-startuplaw.com/blog

◼️GLS Support Plan: consider engaging your own in-house legal team capability with a highly disruptively priced GLS Start Up Support https://www.gls-startuplaw.com/plans

◼️GLS Legal On Call™: trial GLS Legal On Call™ for free - access up to 3 free in-house legal consults and feel the power of your own “on call” legal team https://www.gls-startuplaw.com/product/gls-legal-on-call-free-trial

◼️Book A Consult: book a complimentary one-off 15 min consult via our e-calendar
 https://calendly.com/globallegalsolutions/startup-free-legal-consultation?month=2025-03

◼️GLS Start Up Clinic: join our next pro bono start-up clinic for an in-person free consult – book here.