What does cap and discount mean?
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What does cap and discount mean?
The cap means the company knows the highest value of conversion. The discount means the investor knows there will be at least some recognition of the risk of coming in early, if everything doesn’t go as planned, and we all know they often times don’t.
What is the cap in a convertible note?
A convertible note cap sets the maximum valuation at which the investment made via the convertible note can convert into equity. Investors in the convertible note typically get converted at the lesser of the valuation of the next qualified priced round and the cap.
Is a higher or lower valuation cap better for you?
From an investor’s perspective, higher valuations reflect more expensive investments since investors must pay more for the same level of ownership. By investing at a lower valuation, convertible debtholders receive equity ownership at a cheaper rate than the current valuation.
What is the difference between a convertible note and a traditional priced round from venture capital investors?
In a priced round, an investor knows exactly how much of a company they will own after investing. Convertible instruments defer a negotiation on price, and therefore ownership, to a subsequent round of financing past a threshold set in the term sheet.
How does a discount work in a SAFE?
The Discount Rate is defined at the top of the SAFE, and usually something like 80\%. If the startup’s valuation at the Series A is lower than the Valuation Cap, the Safe Investors will be paying for their Series A shares at the Discount Price (the Series A price multiples by Discount Rate).
What is a SAFE with a cap?
Another term that can come with a SAFE is called a Valuation Cap. This is another way for the SAFE investor to get a better price per share than a later investor. If your company ends up raising money at a valuation above the “cap,” then the SAFE investor gets to convert at a share price equivalent to the cap.
What’s better convertible note or equity?
Using convertible notes or issuing shares is one of the companies’ significant decisions when raising investment funds. Though convertible notes can help a startup get its operations up and running, equity doesn’t have to be repaid as debt does.
What is a SAFE post money valuation cap?
With a post-money SAFE, an investor gives you money and effectively “locks in” the percentage of your company that they’ll own at the moment you convert their SAFE into shares. The valuation cap on this SAFE is $10 million.
What are valuation caps and conversion discounts for seed investors?
In exchange for their investment, seed investors typically include special provisions called valuation caps and conversion discounts to further protect their investment. This article addresses the purpose and function of both valuation caps and conversion discounts, and how they can affect your ownership in your company.
What are conversion discounts and caps in convertible debt?
Economics of Convertible Debt Valuation caps and conversion discounts are mechanisms by which convertible debtholders can convert their debt positions into preferred equity at a lower company valuation than the latest funding round.
Most investors will require some level of valuation cap, but you should be careful about accepting deals with low valuation caps. Lower caps can provide convertible shareholders with a larger ownership percentage upon conversion, diluting not only your personal stake but that of the investors providing the next round of funding.
How does an investment convert to a cap value?
The investment converts at a cap value. If the cap value is $3M, and the next round’s valuation is, say, $5M, the early investment converts at the cap, $3M. If, for whatever reason, that cap value isn’t reached at the next raise, the investment converts at a discount to the round price whatever that is, generally 20 OR 25\%.