Understanding Early Stage Fundraising Instruments and Incentive Equity Awards
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Join us for the Lunch & Learn: Understanding Early-Stage Fundraising Instruments and Incentive Equity Awards to learn about the various types of equity and equity-like instruments available when bringing early team members and seed investors into your startup.
This Lunch & Learn session, presented by Justyn J. Kasierski, Esq., and Dan L. O’Korn, Esq., of Hutchison PLLC, will focus on understanding the vocabulary and key terms of common documents used in seed financing, including Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFEs), convertible notes, and preferred stock. They will also cover the various types of incentive equity awards startups use to help recruit and retain talent, including option awards, profits interests, stock awards, and phantom equity.
Gain insights into how these agreements impact governance, fundraising strategy, founder dilution, and team motivation.
Perfect for founders, executives, angel investors, and anyone looking to navigate equity-based compensation and investment structures with confidence.
Speakers
Justyn J. Kasierski, Esq.
Managing Partner, Hutchison PLLC
Justyn advises technology and emerging growth companies at all stages of development across a range of industries, including software, ecommerce, video games and development, networking, advanced materials, clean tech, alternative energy, medical devices, biotechnology, and biopharmaceuticals. He also represents angel and venture capital funds in their fundraising and investment activities.
Justyn counsels clients on day-to-day legal and business issues. His transactional experience includes startup formation, public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, and strategic partnerships.
Dan L. O’Korn, Esq.
Partner, Hutchison PLLC
Dan’s practice focuses on business transactions important to pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including licensing and commercial transactions, FDA-related regulatory matters, asset acquisitions and divestitures, supply agreements, product development agreements, and strategic alliances.
Dan previously served as outside counsel to life sciences companies and in-house counsel for Eli Lilly and Company, AAIPharma, Inc., Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Xcellerex, Inc.
Lunch provided. Registration required.
Date: April 9, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: IGNITE Tallahassee
Registration: https://luma.com/7ffzpws6