A largely erroneous belief is that SAFes are standardized. Although YCombinator, the seed accelerator that created SAFEs, has published standardized versions of the agreements on its website, these documents can and will be modified by issuers. A lawyer is in the best position to check SAFE to advise the investor on the effects of the specific document, for example.B. (1) conversion conditions, including the amount and conditions of conversion and probability of conversion; (2) the company`s repurchase rights and whether the company may be able to prevent the conversion of the investment in exchange for the investor`s purchase of SAFE; (3) dissolution rights in the event of a bankruptcy filing of the company prior to the transformation; and (4) voting rights, if they exist, are granted to the investor. A “SAFE” is an agreement between an investor and an entity that grants the investor rights to the company`s future equity, which are similar to a share warrant, unless a certain price per share is set at the time of the initial investment. The SAFE investor receives future shares in the event of an investment price cycle or liquidity event. SAFEs are supposed to offer start-ups a simpler mechanism to apply for upfront financing than convertible bonds. In addition, a SAFE may be on hold indefinitely, which would prevent the investor from making a profit from the investment. Since FASCs should only be converted in the event of specific events, an investor should analyze the risk that events will not occur in light of the company`s circumstances.
If an entity generates enough capital not to require additional capital financing cycles, the amount invested under SAFE can never be converted into equity. Mohsen Parsa, a los Angeles start-up lawyer, helps clients understand SAFE agreements, design comprehensive SAFE agreements for clients, and provide general guidance and guidance to these types of agreements so that startup clients can make the best short- and long-term decisions. Here`s a look at SAFE agreements and why they`re important to startups, but if you have specific questions about your SAFE agreements or how to conclude these types of agreements, contact Parsa Law, Inc.