What counts when splitting co‑founder equity: the standard weights

Before anyone is scored, a founding team has to agree what should count. Pie Divide starts every project from a standard set of weights: eight categories and 28 items that cover what most businesses run on. They total exactly 100%.

On a free run, these weights are fixed. Every founder approves them, then everyone scores. With the $49.99 one-time upgrade per project, your team can change them, add its own categories and items, or start from an industry template.

#The eight categories at a glance

• Investment: 40%
• Execution: 21%
• Core Idea: 19%
• Technology: 5.5%
• Culture and Values: 4.5%
• Growth Planning: 4%
• Legal: 3%
• Human Resources: 3%

Each category is the sum of the items inside it. Here's what every item measures.

#Investment (40%)

• Equity Contribution, 15%. Initial funding of ownership equity.
• Secured Funding, 10%. Available funds secured for initial operating expenses.
• Unsecured Funding, 10%. Future funds secured for operating expenses.
• External Financing, 5%. Sourcing loans, advances, and venture capital.

#Execution (21%)

• Innovation Management, 6%. Upgrading and enhancing the product offering.
• Market Engagement, 4.5%. Building long-term customer relationships.
• Sales Operations, 4.5%. Business processes that drive revenue.
• Customer Outreach, 2%. Strategy for communicating with customers.
• Client Support, 2%. Services that help clients use a product successfully.
• Process Management, 2%. Designing and improving business processes.

#Core Idea (19%)

• Inception, 10%. The idea that formed the company.
• Growth, 4.5%. Increase in economic value or activity.
• Leadership, 4.5%. Leading the organization.

#Technology (5.5%)

• Infrastructure, 2.5%. The foundation of technology resources.
• Innovation, 2%. Development of new or improved products.
• Security, 1%. Protecting systems, devices, and networks.

#Culture and Values (4.5%)

• Culture, 2%. Values and behaviors that define the organization.
• Ethics, 1.5%. Moral principles governing how the business behaves.
• Adaptability, 1%. Ability to adjust to market changes.

#Growth Planning (4%)

• Brand Strategy, 2%. Long-term plan to communicate and promote the brand.
• Product Offering, 1%. The end products available to customers or clients.
• Revenue Tactics, 1%. Methods for saving, spending, and operating expense.

#Legal (3%)

• Intellectual Property, 1.5%. Creations of the mind with applied rights.
• Compliance, 1%. Laws, regulations, and internal policies.
• Contracts, 0.5%. Enforceable written or spoken agreements.

#Human Resources (3%)

• Recruitment, 1.5%. Finding and hiring new employees.
• Development, 1%. Growing employee skills and capabilities.
• Retention, 0.5%. Keeping employees engaged and committed.

#How the weights turn into a split

Every founder privately scores themselves and every co-founder on each of these items, from 1 to 10. A 1 means "contributed nothing here", not a polite low mark. Your own score counts for less than your co-founders' scores, so rating yourself a ten can't outvote the team.

Each item's weight decides how much that item moves the result. A strong score on Equity Contribution (15%) moves the split far more than the same score on Contracts (0.5%). The results screen shows each founder's percentage and how much every category contributed to it.

#When the standard weights don't fit your business

The standard set leans heavily on capital, execution, and the original idea because that's where most young companies start. If your business runs differently, for example a services firm where client relationships matter more than capital, the free weights will give you the standard set's answer, not yours.

With the $49.99 one-time upgrade per project, the negotiation opens up:

• Set your own weights. A change is still an exchange: whatever one item gains, another gives up, and a co-founder has to accept it.
• Add and edit your own categories and items.
• Start from one of twelve industry templates, including Tech Startup, AI Startup, SaaS, eCommerce, Construction, Real Estate, Creative Agency, Accounting, Finance, Logistics, Fulfillment and 3PL, and Non-Profit.

If the standard weights already describe your company, you don't need to pay. The free version gives you the same split.

#Try the standard weights with your team

Run a full split on these weights with your real co-founders. It's free, and no card is required.

Run a free split

See the full process on How it works, or read the guide to splitting equity between co-founders.

Pie Divide is not a law firm and does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice.