What is Upstock?
Optimized RSU Centric
Equity Agreements
Employers input workers into Upstock to issue legally binding equity
Workers can vest a fixed number of shares (ex: four years, one year cliff).
Or workers can vest a dynamic number depending on their contribution. Our performance algorithm calculates a fair division of equity.
Real-Time Motivational
Dashboard
Workers and employers can watch equity growing in real time
Dashboard allows workers to see & believe that their work is paying off
Workers are incentivized to make decisions for the long-term success of the company
The Upstock Process
1
Sign up for an Upstock account.
Time frame: 5 minutes
Information needed: business name, contact information, payment information for Upstock subscription.
2
Create your equity pool.
Time frame: 15 minutes
Information needed: percentage of company equity you wish to start with. This number can easily be increased at a later date.
3
Add workers to the pool.
Time frame: 10 - 30 minutes
Information needed: worker emails, large companies can import to Upstock
4
Workers sign legal documents.
Await worker response.
Worker will need to login to Upstock, review document, enter in full name and address, then digitally sign.
Total time required: 30 - 80 minutes
Watch workers earn their equity & see their equity growing in value in real time.
Determine your equity pools
Need some help figuring out the size of your equity pool?
Check some standard examples at the link bellow.
RSUs: Improving on Stock Options
Upstock issues RSUs instead of stock options, which is better for most workers because they:
Reduces tax burdens
Workers won't have to buy stock options or pay tax on equity until the money is available (i.e. when the company achieves financial success)
Avoid cap table problems
Business owners don't have to grant shareholder rights, keeping voting & decision-making chaos to a minimum
Feel like a fair exchange
Workers vastly prefer RSUs compared to stock options, which are more expensive & confusing, and will still need to be purchased later
Offer meaningful equity instead of only cash payments.
Join Us On Upstock
What do clients love about Upstock?
Upstock helps companies motivate & incentivize workers using modern equity.
Affordable Plans
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Based on equity plans at Facebook, Apple, Google and more
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Approximately 90% more affordable than hiring traditional lawyers
Improved Stock Units
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Upstock's legal docs issue more flexible RSU equity units just like Fortune 1000s
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Far superior to stock options due to vastly reduced tax complexity
Reduced Payroll Expenses
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Business owners can offer meaningful equity instead of only cash payments
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Reducing payroll expenses by offering equity in leu of cash
How Upstock can help your company.
Increases team motivation
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Equity gives workers increased sense of long-term ownership & creates palpable alignment
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Offers workers the feeling that "we're all in this together"
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Generates a highly motivated team invested in helping the company achieve its goals
Allows teams to scale
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Generates new pathways for entrepreneurs to expand their team
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Small to medium-sized businesses can issue equity in addition to cash, enabling them to hire more workers
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Leads to an average of 68.5% cash savings on payroll (as seen in over 150,000 hours of case study)
Reduces workplace politics
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Everyone has a shared stake in company success
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Helps employees feel aligned and "in it together"
Boosts worker retention
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Workers with a long-term stake are more likely to stay
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Reduces turnover costs and generates better morale
Solves cap-table problems
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grants RSUs instead of stock or stock options
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Enables granting of equity without adding to cap table
Reduces tax & legal burdens
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RSUs generally don't require filing or paying taxes until final payout
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Saves workers significant money & hassle
Relieves overall legal risk
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Equity contracts created by some of the world's top equity lawyers
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Additional vetting & bulletproofing by Big 4 accounting firms
Relieves need for lawyers
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Can be set up & manages without third parties like lawyers & CPAs
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Significantly reduces time & money spent on legal services
Easy to customize
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Founders can easily customize equity plans to fit needs
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Adjustable to desired levels of transparency & flexibility
Eliminates maintenance
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Documents & software are optimized over time
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Automatically upgraded to fit changing requirements
Motivational Dashboard
Now workers can view their equity through an easy-to-use interface, allowing them to see a meaningful visualization of their stake in the company & inspiring them to give their best effort at growing the company's future success.
Performance Algorithm
Upstock's real-time algorithm calculates worker equity distribution automatically through adjusting a performance-based equity pool according to productivity inputs for each team member (based on time, defined tasks, or milestones).
Intuitive Administrative Interface
Say goodbye to stacks of documents that sit forgotten in drawers never to be touched.
Say hello to a dynamic visualization of equity, Giving employers simple tools to manage workers and equity.
Now allowing business owners to adjust incentives to maximize critical periods.
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Employee Portal
Easily find equity documents and instantly allow workers to see their share in the company growing in real time along with their hard work.
Built for any type of worker, including employees, contractors, and advisors.
RSUs: Battle Tested by Fortune 1000s
