Venture Financing Due Diligence Request List
Cover Sheet
| Requesting Firm | [Name of the law firm sending the requests for the investors] |
| Company | [Legal name of the company issuing the securities] |
| Delivery Date | [Date the request list is delivered to the Company] |
| Response Due Date | [Date the first response is due] |
| Company Contact | [Name of the Company contact for diligence responses] |
Due Diligence Request List
1. Parties
"Company" means [Legal name of the company issuing the securities], the company issuing the securities. "Requesting Party" means the investors in this financing and their counsel. These requests concern a priced preferred stock financing.
2. Instructions
The Company should respond to each numbered request and identify documents already provided. Mark a request "Does Not Exist" or "Not Applicable" where appropriate. If circumstances change after a response, promptly notify the Requesting Party and supplement the response with the additional documents needed.
Section A: Actions and Minutes
3. A.1 Stockholder records
Provide all stockholder meeting minutes and written actions.
4. A.2 Board and committee records
Provide the minutes and written consents of the board and its committees since incorporation.
Section B: Charter Documents
5. B.1 Certificate of incorporation
Provide the current certificate or articles of incorporation and all amendments.
6. B.2 Bylaws
Provide the current bylaws.
Section C: Capital Stock
7. C.1 Capitalization
Provide a capitalization summary showing outstanding shares, convertible securities, options, warrants and similar instruments.
8. C.2 Security holders
Provide stockholder, optionholder and warrantholder lists showing issuance dates, original issuance prices, and the class and number of securities held, together with issuance agreements.
9. C.3 Equity plans
Provide equity incentive plans and the forms used for grants under those plans.
10. C.4 Convertible instruments
Provide signed simple agreements for future equity (SAFEs), convertible notes, warrants and other convertible instruments, including amendments and side letters. If none exist, indicate that in the response.
11. C.5 Stockholder rights
Provide agreements covering voting, share transfers, registration, preemptive rights, and rights of first offer or refusal.
12. C.6 Stock transactions and vesting
Provide stock purchase, repurchase, sale and issuance agreements, including founder stock purchase agreements, and summarize vesting schedules for stock and options subject to vesting.
13. C.7 Securities compliance
Provide evidence of qualification or exemption under federal and state securities laws for prior issuances and transfers.
14. C.8 Equity promises
Identify equity promises to officers, employees, directors or consultants that differ from the share amounts or terms recorded in board minutes or written consents.
15. C.9 Agreements among stockholders
Provide agreements among stockholders to which the Company is not a party that address the sale, voting or transfer of Company securities.
16. C.10 Section 83(b) elections
Provide copies of Section 83(b) elections and evidence of timely filing for restricted stock subject to vesting.
17. C.11 Section 409A valuations
Provide all Section 409A valuation reports.
18. C.12 Conversion schedule
Provide a holder-by-holder schedule of convertible securities converting in this financing, showing the outstanding amount, conversion price, and resulting number and class of shares for each holder. Identify any proposed amendments needed for conversion.
Section D: Legal and Regulatory
19. D.1 Litigation and disputes
Provide documents and correspondence concerning pending or threatened litigation, or disputes that could lead to litigation, involving the Company, its executive officers or directors.
20. D.2 Orders and settlements
Provide settlement agreements, consent decrees, injunctions, judgments and other orders.
Section E: Intellectual Property
21. E.1 Invention and confidentiality forms
Provide the proprietary information and inventions agreement forms used with current and former employees and consultants.
22. E.2 Signed agreements and gaps
Provide signed proprietary information and inventions agreements for key employees and consultants. List employees and consultants who have not signed, including periods when key employees or consultants worked without an agreement.
23. E.3 Excluded inventions
Provide proprietary information and inventions agreements that exclude any inventions or other rights from assignment to the Company.
24. E.4 Technology transfers and development
Provide documents transferring technology to the Company and agreements for technology development or purchases.
25. E.5 Licenses and technology agreements
Provide agreements concerning the Company’s or others’ patents, copyrights, trade secrets, proprietary information or technology, excluding agreements for standard or off-the-shelf products.
26. E.6 Intellectual property lists and searches
List patents, copyrights and trademarks, and provide any searches performed concerning them.
Section F: Management, Employees and Consultants
27. F.1 Related-party arrangements
Provide agreements, understandings and proposed transactions between the Company and its employees, officers, directors or affiliates, or their affiliates, including employment and indemnification agreements, loans and guarantees.
28. F.2 Employment and consulting documents
Provide employment, consulting and independent contractor agreements, and offer letters.
29. F.3 Benefits and compensation plans
Provide employee benefit, profit-sharing, deferred compensation and bonus plans or arrangements. Provide equity plans and grant forms under C.3.
30. F.4 Officers and directors
List the current officers and directors. Identify officers who devote less than all of their business time to the Company.
31. F.5 Accrued compensation and expenses
Provide a breakdown of unpaid accrued salary, paid time off and reimbursable expenses.
Section G: Debt Financing
32. G.1 Debt documents
Provide all debt instruments and credit agreements currently in effect, including lease financing.
33. G.2 Guarantees
Provide guarantees of obligations owed by third parties.
Section H: Other Agreements
34. H.1 Property leases
Provide real property leases with amendments and exhibits.
35. H.2 Capital leases
Provide agreements for capital leases.
36. H.3 Standard forms
Provide the Company’s standard agreement forms.
37. H.4 Joint ventures and partnerships
Provide agreements for joint ventures and partnerships.
38. H.5 Management, services and marketing
Provide agreements for management, services and marketing.
39. H.6 Confidentiality
Provide confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements.
40. H.7 Financing consents
Provide agreements requiring consent or approval for this financing. If none exist, indicate that in the response.
41. H.8 Other material agreements
Provide other agreements that are material to the Company’s business or outside its ordinary course of business.
Section I: Miscellaneous and Financial Information
42. I.1 Business and financial studies
Provide reports and studies prepared by the Company or outside consultants on the business or financial condition of the Company, its subsidiaries or its affiliates.
43. I.2 Financial statements
Provide the latest audited financial statements and the latest unaudited monthly financial statements.
44. I.3 Business restrictions
Describe contracts that restrict the Company’s ability to compete in a line of business or with another person or entity, or require the Company or a subsidiary to remain in a line of business.
45. I.4 Business plan and offering materials
Provide the latest business plan, offering memorandum or similar Company document.