Example result
Here's what you get — a real example generated by the tool:
## Cap Table Setup
| Shareholder | Type | Shares | Ownership % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alice Smith | Founder | 500,000 | 45.00% |
| Bob Jones | Founder | 300,000 | 27.00% |
| Carol Chen | Founder | 200,000 | 18.00% |
| Option Pool (ESOP) | ESOP | 111,111 | 10.00% |
| **TOTAL** | | **1,111,111** | **100.00%** |
## Round Scenarios
| Metric | Pre-Seed | Seed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pre-Money Valuation | €2,000,000 | €6,000,000 |
| Investment Amount | €250,000 | €1,000,000 |
| Post-Money Valuation | €2,250,000 | €7,000,000 |
| Price Per Share | €1.8000 | €4.8000 |
| New Shares Issued | 138,889 | 208,333 |
| Total Shares After Round | 1,250,000 | 1,458,333 |
| New Investor Ownership | 11.11% | 14.29% |
## Dilution by Round
| Shareholder | Post-ESOP | Post-ESOP % | Post-Pre-Seed | Post-Pre-Seed % | Post-Seed | Post-Seed % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alice Smith | 500,000 | 45.00% | 500,000 | 40.00% | 500,000 | 34.29% |
| Bob Jones | 300,000 | 27.00% | 300,000 | 24.00% | 300,000 | 20.57% |
| Carol Chen | 200,000 | 18.00% | 200,000 | 16.00% | 200,000 | 13.71% |
| Option Pool (ESOP) | 111,111 | 10.00% | 111,111 | 8.89% | 111,111 | 7.62% |
| Pre-Seed Investor | — | — | 138,889 | 11.11% | 138,889 | 9.52% |
| Seed Investor | — | — | — | — | 208,333 | 14.29% |
| **TOTAL** | **1,111,111** | **100.00%** | **1,250,000** | **100.00%** | **1,458,333** | **100.00%** |
## Exit Waterfall (1x Non-Participating)
| Shareholder | €5M Exit Receives | €5M Exit % | €15M Exit Receives | €15M Exit % | €50M Exit Receives | €50M Exit % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alice Smith | €1,600,000 | 32.00% | €5,143,500 | 34.29% | €17,142,857 | 34.29% |
| Bob Jones | €960,000 | 19.20% | €3,085,500 | 20.57% | €10,285,714 | 20.57% |
| Carol Chen | €640,000 | 12.80% | €2,057,000 | 13.71% | €6,857,143 | 13.71% |
| Option Pool (ESOP) | €355,556 | 7.11% | €1,143,000 | 7.62% | €3,809,524 | 7.62% |
| Pre-Seed Investor | €444,444 | 8.89% | €1,428,000 | 9.52% | €4,761,905 | 9.52% |
| Seed Investor | €1,000,000 | 20.00% | €2,143,000 | 14.29% | €7,142,857 | 14.29% |
| **TOTAL** | **€5,000,000** | **100.00%** | **€15,000,000** | **100.00%** | **€50,000,000** | **100.00%** |
## Assumptions
| Assumption | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Liquidation Preference | 1x non-participating (standard) |
| Option Pool Timing | Pre-money, fully diluted basis |
| Share Price Precision | 4 decimal places |
| Rounding | Shares rounded to nearest whole number |
Note: At €5M exit, Seed investor takes 1x preference (€1M > pro-rata €714K). Remaining €4M distributed pro-rata to all common holders including Pre-Seed (converts, €444K > €250K preference). At €15M and €50M, all investors convert to common.
Frequently Asked Questions
What file format do I receive?
You get a professional .xlsx Excel spreadsheet with 5 sections: Cap Table Setup, Round Scenarios, Dilution by Round, Exit Waterfall, and Assumptions. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, or LibreOffice — no special software required.
Why is this cheaper than Carta or Pulley?
Carta ($2,400-6,000/year) and Pulley ($400+/year) are designed for ongoing equity management as you scale. CapTableKit is a one-time tool for founders who need to understand dilution before contracting a lawyer or committing to enterprise software. You pay once, own the spreadsheet forever.
How fast do I get my cap table?
Within 30 seconds after payment. Enter your founders, rounds, and exit scenarios — pay — and your .xlsx cap table is ready to download immediately. No account needed, no email confirmation.
Does it handle option pool dilution correctly?
Yes. The tool creates the option pool pre-money on a fully diluted basis — the standard way VCs negotiate it. Your ESOP percentage is calculated on total shares outstanding including the pool, and each round's dilution is tracked cumulatively.
What liquidation preference model does it use?
The exit waterfall uses 1x non-participating liquidation preferences — the most common standard in European and US term sheets for pre-seed and seed rounds. Each investor automatically takes the higher of 1x their investment or their pro-rata share at the modeled exit value.
Can I edit the numbers after downloading?
Yes. The .xlsx file is fully unlocked and editable. Adjust any share count, valuation, or exit scenario directly in the spreadsheet and the tables update. Think of it as a professional template you own — not a locked PDF.
How many founders and investors does it support?
Unlimited founders, up to 3 investment rounds (Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A), and 3 exit scenarios for the waterfall. This covers the full pre-Series B cap table modeling needs for 95% of early-stage startups.