What is a vesting schedule?
Short answer: A vesting schedule sets when a founder, employee, or adviser earns the right to keep equity, options, or another long-term incentive.
Vesting aligns ownership with continued contribution. It is common in founder agreements, employee option plans, adviser grants, and venture-backed company structures.
Common vesting structures
- Cliff vesting: No equity vests until a minimum service period has passed. A common startup structure is a one-year cliff followed by monthly vesting.
- Graded vesting: Equity vests gradually over time, often monthly, quarterly, or annually.
- Milestone vesting: Vesting depends on agreed outcomes, such as product launch, revenue targets, financing completion, or transaction milestones.
Why it matters
A clear vesting schedule reduces disputes and protects the cap table if someone leaves early. Investors review vesting terms closely because unvested equity can affect founder incentives, option pool planning, and future dilution.
