Cap Table

The spreadsheet or software record showing every shareholder, their share class, and their ownership percentage. Plain-language explainer with examples.

Cap Table

The spreadsheet or software record showing every shareholder, their share class, and their ownership percentage.

What Cap Table means

The capitalization table lists every equity holder in a company: founders, employees on options, angels, funds, SAFE holders, and note holders. It shows share counts, fully-diluted percentages, and often the price paid.

A clean cap table is a fundraising asset. Investors will scan for red flags: too many small SAFE holders, unclear vesting on founders, non-standard preferences, or missing agreements. Tools like Carta and Pulley manage this.

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