Vesting — how what is an investment memorandum affects your cap table, not just the theory.
What is an Investment Memorandum
Lovie turns this into your actual numbers, not a generic example.
If you're trying to understand what is an investment memorandum, you're looking for a clear answer — and how it actually plays out on your cap table, not just the general concept.
What This Actually Means for Your Cap Table
At its core, this touches on cliff period and vesting period. Most explanations stop at the general definition — this one is written for what happens to your ownership records next.
This is exactly the situation what is an investment memorandum comes up in for most founders.
Where This Fits on Your Cap Table
Cliff period and Vesting period both depend on the same underlying ownership data, so getting this right keeps your cap table accurate instead of quietly wrong. Lovie's live cap table treats this as connected data, not a one-off calculation.
Most explanations of what is an investment memorandum stop at the general concept, not the cap table impact.
What is an investment memorandum is easiest to get right when it's tied to a live cap table, not a static example.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Investment Memorandum?
It depends on your specific situation, not a general rule — an investment memorandum is best checked against your actual cap table, not a static example.
- Confirm cliff period against your latest cap table, not an old spreadsheet
- Get any resulting change in writing before it affects a funding round
- Re-check this every time your equity structure changes
How does this show up in your fully diluted ownership?
Most founders get this wrong by treating it as a one-time task. It's worth revisiting every time you issue new equity, add a stakeholder, or close a round.
- Update your cap table the same day the change happens, not at quarter-end
- Loop in whoever else relies on the cap table — co-founders, investors, your accountant
- Keep a record of when and why the change happened, not just the new numbers
Founders researching what is an investment memorandum usually need this answer fast, not eventually.
The Lovie Advantage
Most vesting explainers give you the general rule for an investment memorandum. Lovie shows the specific number for your specific grant, updated automatically as time passes.
For a related question founders often ask right after this one, see What is a Down Round in Investing.
See This on Your Own Cap Table
Lovie turns this into your actual numbers, not a generic example. This is worth getting right on your cap table from the start. Start Free with Lovie keeps this connected to formation and funding — not three separate tools.