StartupProgram.com (SUP) has been a vision of founder Dan Offner for many years – and with the backing of a successful team, we are excited to launch our online platform to make this dream a reality.
SUP is a one-stop solution for entrepreneurs and startups who need legal structuring and venture knowledge as they navigate the world of venture capital. SUP accomplishes these goals through three products: SUP Cap Tables, SUP Academy, and SUP Professional Services. We’ll be going more in-depth into each of these products individually in the coming weeks on this blog, with an extended discussion about what StartupProgram.com can do for you and your business.
Offner, founder of O&A, P.C. and Blue Heron Ventures, created StartupProgram.com based off his expansive knowledge from more than 30 years of legal experience — most of which has been focused on early-stage and growth companies in technology and content. Offner has counseled some of the most recognizable names in tech today, including Facebook, Oculus, Ubisoft, and Alcon Entertainment. With hundreds of M&A deals, financings, and technology and content deals under his belt, it is clear that industry leaders trust and value his expertise.
“Having been on both sides of numerous deals, and as a seasoned angel investor and general counsel to venture-backed startup companies, I know that a poor legal structure can be a deal killer,” Offner said. “My goal is to give entrepreneurs the tools they need so they can focus on achieving their vision, while making venture financings seamless and pain free with the right cap table, education, and legal foundation. SUP empowers the entrepreneur to launch their new venture efficiently. We bridge the gap between the bare-bones, DIY options out there and paying tens of thousands of dollars for the traditional full law firm experience.”
Each product of StartupProgram.com was created out of a need to solve problems that Offner has faced throughout his career. While he was general counsel to Oculus (from its beginnings as a Kickstarter company until its sale to Facebook for $2.4 billion), Offner faced a number of costly problems that could have been avoided had the company been formed correctly at the outset: the company was formed in the wrong state, it started as an LLC and later was improperly converted into a corporation not in Delaware, it claimed to have issued options without having adopted a stock incentive plan — the list goes on and on.
These are just a few of the common mistakes that we’ve seen with startups that have tried frugal DIY methods to form their companies. Our program prevents these mistakes, empowers the entrepreneurs with the resources they need, and sets up companies right the first time.
Having a strong legal foundation saves entrepreneurs tens of thousands of dollars and avoids potentially fatal business mistakes. As an entrepreneur, the most important resource for launching and running your startup is knowledge. SUP offers a unique suite of education and legal-services products that provides everything you need to confidently make the right choices, to win in negotiations with VCs, and to succeed. SUP’s exclusive online education system and proprietary software greatly reduce the need for billable attorney hours — cutting your legal costs by as much as 80%. Our program is designed to give you 100% of the value of high-end legal services at 20% of the cost.
“The lectures and teaching material really helped explain to us all of the nuances of being venture capital ready for my new business in a form that was easily understandable and user friendly” said Jack Halloran, co-founder of Waerhealth Inc. and StartupProgram.com client.
“I have started nearly a dozen companies over the course of my career,” said Jamie Ottilie, Founder & CEO of LCG Entertainment Inc., “and StartupProgram.com was by far the easiest and provided me with legal services I could trust to have a funding ready entity.”
For more information on how StartupProgram.com can help you and your startup, contact us at info@startupprogram.com or enroll today!
