Term Sheet

A term sheet may also be referred to as an MOU, or memorandum of understanding, or a letter of intent. Term sheets are the first set of financial investor speculative statements. A business seeking outside capital funding is defined by the terms and circumstances of each round of investment. The label is optional, and in terms of their form and drafting, they lay forth the essential legal and business parameters pertaining to a proposed transaction.

A term sheet is a non-binding contract or agreement that outlines the essential elements of an investment deal. A fundamental requirement for upcoming financial agreements between the parties is the term sheet.

When the parties negotiate the terms of the investment or finance agreement, then they would end up making a term sheet. After the terms are agreed, then the parties would go ahead to make the agreement binding. The agreement or contract which is drawn upon through the term sheet is included in the contract.

Breaking down Term Sheet

A term sheet should, in essence, summarise the key points of an agreement without getting into the nitty-gritty details and contingencies covered by a legally enforceable contract.

In essence, it lays the foundation for guaranteeing that the parties to a business transaction agree on the majority of crucial components of the deal, obviating the chance of misunderstanding and lowering the likelihood of unwarranted litigation. It also makes sure that there aren’t any unnecessary, high-cost legal fees associated with drafting a legally enforceable agreement or contract.

All term sheets should contain certain fundamental components, such as details on the parties’ identities, valuation, and preferred payments. Additionally, it provides details on all the properties concerned, the original purchase price, including contingencies that may impact that price, a response time period, and any other information that is considered relevant.

Where are term Sheets Used?

Term Sheets are primarily used in the following transactions:

• Acquisitions and Mergers: The parties to a merger agreement first draught term sheets to determine the terms to be taken into consideration.
• Due Diligence- Typically, the parties involved in a due diligence exercise would create a term sheet to outline the specifics of the procedure or exercise.
• Loan Agreements: Term sheets are taken into consideration by the parties while seeking funds in order to comprehend and negotiate the conditions of a loan agreement.
• Acquisition Agreements – Similar to a term sheet, an acquisition agreement sends a questionnaire to the opposite party to learn as much as possible about the target company.
• Seed Funding Agreements-Term sheets are required for seed funding agreements just like they are for loan agreements. We can also see that there will be an angel investor and start up entrepreneur that would want to draw up a term sheet.

What Is a Term Sheet for an Investment?

A business contract defining the terms of a partnership between an investor and a company is called an investment term sheet. They define the structural framework of collaboration between parties and specify any problems that must be resolved and how they will be resolved, much like a partnership agreement or operating agreement. You must first choose the sort of investment you wish to make in your startup before you can construct an investment term sheet. The four primary categories of investments are as follows:

1. Equity
2. Debt
3. Services (like consulting)
4. intangible assets (IP).

The sort of investment will affect a number of variables, including the risk involved in the transaction and your options if something goes wrong. For instance, if you invest in intellectual property by purchasing the patent for your firm, you have exclusive rights to it; on the other hand, your rights are restricted if you invest in a company using debt or services. It’s time to do some research once you’ve selected what kind of investment you want to make and how much money you want to spend on it.

The terms of the investment and a set of operating and reporting rules make up the bulk of an investment term sheet. The term sheet will include relevant details like: –

• The amount invested
• Investment assessment
• Return on investment parameters (ROI)
• Plan of retreat
• Policies and processes to uphold all parties’ interests.

Additionally, there is a section that provides details on the investments you are making, such as:

• Business description
• Industry type,
• products or services provided,
• revenue model are used in
• Business strategy.

The transaction’s terms, such as funding milestones and due diligence requirements, may be included in a final section.

Items to Include on Your Term Sheet

Including significant phrases in your term sheet is one of the most crucial things you can do. For instance, you should be clear about the amount and length of your investment. The milestones that must be met in order for you to get payment should also be stated. Additionally, you should be able to discuss with the business how much equity you will receive and have a broad knowledge of it. It is advisable to be as clear as you can in your term sheet because it is a contract between the parties.

What Are The Key Points On Which A Founder Must Review in Investment Term Sheet?

The Investment Term Sheet for a privately owned business may consist of more detail. Here we are discussing what the organizers or founders need to cover the following points while considering a Investment Term Sheet:-

• Shares’ kind and the Option: The funding financial investor typically purchases shares from a preferred class that come with relevant rights not provided by the company’s founders or other stakeholders, such as employees. As the investment is made based on the company’s risk profile and valuation at that particular time, specifying the rights is a common practise. This should be taken into account in an investment term sheet.
• Valuation: Prior to receiving new funding, the company’s agreed-upon valuation is taken into account in this section. The cost per offer that investors will pay is to be decided. The full investment value is typically avoided by investors. However, these investors place their money in stages that are expected to reach certain milestones, or “trenches.” Failure to reach the goal does not naturally mean that the investor will abandon the deal; it may mean that he might be looking for different terms for those amounts.

• Profits: In order to achieve the most returns on their investments, investors frequently invest in start-up businesses. This section of the Investment Term Sheet outlines what investors must do with the profits they get from the organization’s performance, including whether they must reinvest them or just take them as payments.

• Liquidation: In the event that an organisation is dissolved for unidentified reasons, this section of the investment term sheet describes the liquidation preferences of the investors.

Favoured investors typically receive a certain percentage of the returns before another investor. However, to comprehend the risk in each investment process, the structure and practises of the liquidation are examined. The return will increase as the level of risk also increases. Investors must be given preference during this process of investment.

• Founder Shares: The key decision-makers who determine whether or not to invest are the senior staff, management, founders, and those who are in charge of the company’s expansion. The terms for the founder are included in this section of the investment term sheet because the investors are the crucial parties who constantly keep informed about the plan and agreement.

Most Series A term sheets include a number of additional clauses for the investor and the founder, such as recovery, anti-dilution, transformation, voting rights, and other insurances. It is essential to consult with a knowledgeable legal counsel who can explain the agreement and related paperwork in English and ensure that you understand all the terms before you sign.

Format for Term Sheets

There are several formats that are used for various term sheet-related arrangements. A term sheet for a typical merger and acquisition scenario has the following structure:

• Name of the Parties: This must contain the names of the parties. Details on the Buying Company, Selling Company, and the Target Company must be stated if the agreement relates to a private acquisition or merger.
• Type of Business—Since the term sheet is for mergers and acquisitions, it must specify the kinds of goods the target company sells. Here, it is necessary to specify the kind of goods and services the target company provides.
• Consideration: The purchase price paid to acquire the target will be taken into account. The form of consideration has to be mentioned to the seller whether the consideration is in cash or through the issue of shares or any other form of method.
• Payments: This term sheet must include the terms pertaining to the payment. Whether initial payment is made in cash or through another mechanism, payments can be made.
• Due diligence requirements: For the aforementioned acquisition, the buyer would have the opportunity to perform due diligence. The terms of the purchase would determine the kind of due diligence the buyer would conduct.
• Conditions related to closing-If there are numerous closing-related conditions; they are called closing-related conditions. Before finalising the deal, all terms must be stated properly.
• Binding Clauses: The term sheet must expressly list those clauses that are binding.
• Though the term sheet is non-binding, governing law and jurisdiction must be included when the parties agree to enter into a binding contract.