Commercial Contracts & Governance

Business Documentation & Contract Support.

Custom-structured Founders' Agreements, Master Service Agreements (MSAs), NDAs, and employment contracts tailored to your operational workflow.

When do you need this?.

Commercial contracts define ownership boundaries, payment terms, and liability limits. You need documentation support when:

Starting with Co-Founders

You are forming a venture and need legally binding agreements on equity split, 4-year reverse vesting, decision deadlock rules, and IP transfer.

Onboarding Enterprise B2B Clients

You are signing service contracts and require a robust Master Service Agreement (MSA) and Statement of Work (SOW) to protect deliverables and payment milestones.

Sharing Proprietary Information with Third Parties

You are disclosing confidential business models, source code, or financial metrics to vendors, investors, or partners under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Hiring Employees & Independent Contractors

You are expanding your team and must ensure all intellectual property created by employees or freelancers is formally assigned to the company entity.

Launching a Website or Mobile Application

You need compliant Terms of Service, Privacy Policies, and user disclaimers aligned with Indian digital standards.

What this does NOT mean

BizBase provides business documentation support and contract coordination tailored to commercial operational requirements. Where specialized legal advice, contentious legal opinion, or litigation representation is required, matters are coordinated with appropriately qualified legal professionals.

Core Business Agreement Dossiers.

Explore the essential business contracts, critical clauses, and risk points for Indian enterprises.

Founders' Agreement

A critical agreement between co-founders establishing equity, roles, vesting, and decision-making.

Vesting
4-year reverse vesting schedule with a 1-year cliff to protect remaining founders
Governance
Role allocation, directorships, voting thresholds, and deadlock resolution
Asset Transfer
Mandatory assignment of all project intellectual property to the entity
Best Suited For: Co-founding teams prior to entity incorporation or commercial launch.

NDA

Non-Disclosure Agreement protecting proprietary metrics, records, and trade secrets.

Types
Mutual (two-way disclosure) or Unilateral (one-way disclosure)
Clauses
Definition of confidential information, permitted use scope, and duration
Remedies
Statutory injunctive relief and monetary damages in case of breach
Best Suited For: Sharing business models, financials, or technical data with third parties.

MSA

Master Service Agreement establishing the legal and commercial terms of a client engagement.

Scope
Defines liability caps, indemnity, IP ownership, and termination rules
Utility
Serves as the master contract; individual projects are governed by SOWs
Payment
Specifies standard payment terms, late fees, and invoice schedules
Best Suited For: Agencies and consultants signing regular commercial client engagements.

SOW

Statement of Work detailing specific project deliverables, timelines, and milestones.

Details
Description of tasks, code deliverables, design scopes, and testing parameters
Milestones
Clear link between project phases, approval sign-offs, and payments
Flexibility
Allows easy additions of work scopes under the same parent MSA
Best Suited For: Specifying scope, deadlines, and milestone payments for client projects.

Employment Agreement

Formal contracts securing employee roles, duties, and IP assignment.

IP Protection
Explicit clause assigning all code, designs, and content to the company
Restrictive Clauses
Non-compete during employment, non-solicitation of clients, and notice terms
Friction Prevention
Clear salary structures, probation periods, and exit terms
Best Suited For: Onboarding full-time or part-time staff with clear corporate IP protection.

Business Contracts

General commercial contracts covering vendor, distributor, and customer transactions.

Types
Vendor supply agreements, reseller contracts, and user licensing (EULA)
Risk
Addresses delivery defaults, warranty terms, and indemnity claims
Legality
Enforceable under the Indian Contract Act and properly stamped
Best Suited For: Documenting strategic partnerships, supplier terms, and sales policies.

Agreement Risk & Impact Matrix.

Evaluate the commercial risk and operational necessity of key business contracts.

Agreement TypePrimary Risk if MissingWho Executes It?Execution Standard
Founders' Agreement Departing founder keeps 50% equity without workingAll Co-FoundersExecuted on Stamp Paper
Master Service Agreement Uncapped liability, payment disputes, scope creepCompany & ClientExecuted on Stamp Paper / Digital eSign
Non-Disclosure Agreement Competitor steals proprietary model/dataCompany & Disclosed PartyMutual / One-Way Signature
IP Assignment Agreement Developer legally owns the code/product IPCompany & Employee/ContractorExecuted with Employment Offer

How the process works.

A structured 5-step workflow designed to deliver clarity, compliance, and momentum.

01

Commercial Requirement Review

We discuss your commercial relationship, operational workflow, and key risk concerns.

02

Key Terms Alignment

We align on critical terms: equity vesting, payment milestones, IP ownership, liability caps, and termination rights.

03

Custom Drafting

We prepare clear, plain-language documentation tailored to your specific operational model.

04

Review & Refinement

We review the draft together with your team and incorporate necessary commercial revisions.

05

Execution Readiness

We deliver final execution-ready documents with guidance on stamp duty, digital signing, and record retention.

Commonly required information & documents.

Having these materials ready ensures smooth processing and minimal regulatory clarification queries.

Founders & Equity
Founders' Agreement & Reverse Vesting Framework
Shareholders' Agreement (SHA) terms
Director Appointment Letters
Commercial & Clients
Master Service Agreement (MSA) & Statement of Work (SOW)
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA - Mutual / One-way)
Vendor & Supplier Supply Contracts
Employment & Digital
Employment Agreements with IP Assignment clauses
Freelancer & Consultant Agreements
Website / App Terms of Service & Privacy Policy
Note: Requirements may vary based on the entity, service and applicable authority.

Common Mistakes in Business Documentation.

Avoid these frequent contract mistakes that cause major legal liabilities.

Common Pitfall

Copying generic templates from foreign websites

Consequence: Foreign templates reference US/UK jurisdictions and contradict mandatory provisions of the Indian Contract Act and Stamp Act.

Common Pitfall

Operating without an explicit IP Assignment clause

Consequence: Without written assignment, freelance developers or design agencies retain legal copyright over the code or branding they create for you.

Common Pitfall

Excluding reverse vesting schedules in founders' agreements

Consequence: If a co-founder quits after 3 months, they walk away with their full equity, crippling future funding rounds.

Common Pitfall

Failing to pay state stamp duty on commercial contracts

Consequence: Unstamped agreements face serious admissibility hurdles as evidence in Indian courts under the Indian Stamp Act.

Contract Governance & Record Keeping.

Best practices for managing executed business contracts.

Stamp Duty Payment

Ensure contracts are executed with appropriate state-level stamp duty (physical non-judicial stamp, e-stamping, or franking).

Digital Signing Validity

Execute contracts using valid digital/electronic signatures compliant with the Information Technology Act 2000.

Centralized Contract Repository

Maintain organized digital and physical copies of all executed agreements and addendums.

Clear answers to specific questions.

Direct answers to common founder questions regarding business documentation & contract support.

A Founders' Agreement clarifies equity ownership, roles, time commitment, intellectual property transfer, decision-making rules, and reverse vesting terms (what happens if a co-founder leaves early). It prevents major structural disputes as the business grows.
Under Indian copyright law, the author or creator of code, designs, or content is the initial owner unless explicitly transferred in writing. An IP Assignment clause ensures full ownership of all intellectual property created by employees or contractors belongs to the company.
Yes. Under the Information Technology Act 2000, electronic contracts executed through valid electronic or digital signatures (such as Aadhaar eSign or DSC) are legally valid and enforceable.
An MSA establishes the foundational legal and commercial terms (payment conditions, liabilities, warranties, dispute terms) between you and a client, allowing individual projects to be initiated simply through brief Statements of Work (SOWs).
Contracts in India require payment of applicable state stamp duty (through non-judicial stamp paper, e-stamping, or franking) to ensure admissibility as evidence under the Indian Stamp Act.

Founders exploring business documentation & contract support typically coordinate these complementary services.

Need contracts drafted or reviewed?

Tell us what you're planning and our consulting team will help you understand the exact next steps, timelines, and documentation needed.

Consult on Business Documentation & Contract Support.

Share your business details and requirements. Our consulting team will review your notes and contact you with specific next steps.

Response within 24 business hours
Strict client data confidentiality
Clear pricing provided privately during consultation

By submitting, you agree to receive consultation communications regarding your business enquiry. We respect your privacy.

Your details are saved!

Continue on WhatsApp to send your enquiry directly to our consulting team and discuss next steps.

Continue on WhatsApp
Chat on WhatsApp