Cap Table (Capitalisation Table)
A record of who owns what in a company — shares, options and ownership percentages.
A cap table lists all shareholders, the number and class of shares they hold, option pools, convertibles and resulting ownership percentages. It is essential for modelling dilution across rounds and is heavily scrutinised by investors. A messy cap table (too many small holders or excessive founder dilution early) can deter investment.
Examples
A clean pre-seed cap table shows two founders at 45% each and a 10% option pool. — An investor requests the cap table before issuing a term sheet.
How it relates to The Startup Foundry
A clean, investable cap table is part of being investor-ready. The Foundry’s tools and Deal Room help you present ownership clearly to the investors you’re matched with.