Getting an acquihire across the finish line is more than “just finding a home for the team.” From judging the right moment to pivot to hammering out a term sheet that won’t get re-traded, there’s a tight playbook founders need to run. In this comprehensive PDF we walk through a fictional Delaware C-Corp (“Ai-Phone”) and detail every step to convert a dwindling startup into a soft-landing that protects employees, preserves investor goodwill, and leaves the cap-table clean.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Know the moment: runway math, zone-of-insolvency signals, and how to loop investors in early.
- Source & secure a buyer: mapping warm targets, crafting a per-head LOI, and non-solicit guardrails that stop team poaching.
- Negotiate smartly: term-sheet must-haves, exclusivity windows, and tactics for avoiding last-minute “re-trades.”
- Close the deal cleanly: lean diligence checklist, asset-purchase vs. team-hire structures, board/shareholder consents, and post-sale wind-down of the shell.
- Protect people & cap-table: retention packages, vesting resets, investor waterfalls, key tax considerations, and a realistic 60-90-day timeline.
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