VC SERIES: PART III – THE TERM SHEET DECODED! In the previous article of this series we discussed the strategy to be adopted by founders while negotiating a term sheet with a VC fund. Now, on to certain important legal terminology. It is necessary for founders to be aware of and understand the implications of the legal jargons which could impact their rights in the business. Liquidation preference First and foremost – the liquidation preference. Liquidation preference is the investors’ right to get their investment amount back before the holders of common shares (equity shares) get any returns. The common shares are usually owned by the startup’s founders and employees. The preference applies when the startup undergoes a sale of its business by way of any corporate action or it distributes profits to its shareholders. With respect to liquidation preference, the most important element for founders to be mindful of is the type of liquidation preference being demanded by the VC fund – p