Advisor shares are equity grants given to outside advisors in exchange for ongoing strategic guidance, introductions, or domain expertise. Usually issued as stock options from the option pool. Typical advisor grants range from 0.1 to 1 percent of fully diluted shares per advisor, vest over two years with no cliff, and are formalized in a short advisor agreement.
The Founders Institute's FAST agreement (Founder Advisor Standard Template) is the most widely used framework for sizing and structuring advisor grants. It indexes grants by company stage (idea, startup, growth) and advisor engagement level (standard, strategic, expert), producing recommended ranges that typically land between 0.1 and 1 percent. Engaged advisors at an...