The Technicians MBA Subscribe

Funding and ownership

Option pool

The shares set aside for employee share options. Investors often require it to be created or topped up before they invest.

A plain-English explanation, not financial or tax advice. Rules and rates change, so check your own situation. For free, impartial guidance, try MoneyHelper. Disclaimer.

You'll hear it as

They want a 10 per cent option pool before the Series A.

Why it matters to you.

Topping up the pool before a round dilutes existing holders, including staff, not the new investors.

Also called ESOP.

Related terms.

Videos.

No video mentions Option pool by name yet. These are on the same topic, Business & startups.

The newsletter

The business side of technical work, in your inbox.

Free, through Substack. Unsubscribe whenever you like.