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How Capstacker works

Set up a deal, agree on terms, track milestones, and get paid. Watch the walkthrough below.

Start a deal in minutes

  1. Bring your operator or post your role

    Looking for a CMO, a developer, or an agency? Already have someone? Add them and set up the deal. Need someone? Post the role, set your comp mix (cash, equity, milestones), and define the scope. 5 minutes.

  2. Review operators, or go straight to terms

    If you post a role, we introduce vetted operators with their terms. Review backgrounds, compare offers, and pick finalists. If you brought your own operator, go straight to terms. Request an NDA for privacy at any point.

  3. Sign and start

    Negotiate in the dealroom. Standard contracts generate automatically. E-sign and they start next week.

Introduction fee: only if you sign with an operator we introduce. Not for operators you source yourself.

  1. Set up your profile

    Your background, the roles you take, and how you want to work (cash and equity mix, hours, duration).

  2. Find deals or bring your own

    Browse listings from vetted founders, get matched on your expertise, or bring your own clients and structure the deal on Capstacker. Request startup data for visibility before you commit.

  3. Close the deal

    Accept offers through the platform. Win deals that would've died without flexible terms. Build a portfolio of startup equity.

What happens after you sign

Every deal follows the same loop.

  1. The operator submits work against a milestone in the Project Assignment.
  2. The client accepts or requests revisions. The default review window is 10 days, and no response counts as acceptance.
  3. Acceptance triggers the payment step. Payment is due within 15 days by default.
  4. Ownership of the work transfers to the client once payment is made.

Who does what

Founder. Posts a role or adds their own operator, agrees the comp mix and milestones, reviews the work, and pays.

Operator. Builds a profile or brings their own client, agrees the terms, and delivers against milestones. The work stays theirs until they're paid.

Capstacker. Provides the dealroom, standard contracts, milestone tracking, payment tracking, and a record of what was agreed and accepted. We introduce vetted operators when a founder wants them.

What you can pay with

Cash, equity (restricted stock or stock options), milestone payments, revenue share, deferred fees, performance bonuses, or any mix of them. The mix is agreed upfront in the Project Assignment.

Agreements at a glance

Every engagement runs on two documents, the Operator Agreement and the Project Assignment. Work is accepted before payment is due, and ownership transfers when payment is made.