Article

Term Sheet

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Business Finance

A term sheet is a non-binding document outlining the basic terms and conditions of an investment, business deal, or partnership — used as a basis for the binding legal documents that follow. VC term sheets typically include: investment amount, pre/post-money valuation, security type (preferred stock), liquidation preferences (1x non-participating is founder-friendly; 2-3x participating is investor-friendly), anti-dilution provisions, board composition, voting rights, founder vesting, employee option pool size, pro-rata rights. Term sheet negotiation determines who really controls and benefits from the company long-term. Founders should understand non-economic terms (control, protective provisions) as deeply as the valuation.

Corporate Finance

Related terms

Back to the finance glossary