Advanced Subscription Agreement (UK) by Seedsummit

Open Legal LibraryUpdated 25 Oct 2025

Drafting Notes: An Advance Subscription Agreement (ASA) is typically used when a company wants to take investment but isn't yet in a position to fix a valuation. By entering into an ASA, an investor agrees to invest in the company in exchange for equity (shares), but rather than the equity being issued immediately, the parties agree that it will be issued at an agreed point in the future. 

As a general rule, the ASA will "convert" into equity at the time of the company's next priced round, and at the valuation attributed to the company at the time of that round (subject to a valuation cap). However, it would also convert if the company is sold before its next round, or at an agreed date in the future (if the next round takes longer than expected).

An ASA is not a loan, it does not carry interest and it will never need to be repaid.

It is possible for a company to issue ASAs to a number of separate investors at the same time, using a separate agreement for each investor. Although the financial terms attached to the ASA will be identical, regardless of the type of investor, certain provisions contained in this template are specific to institutional investors (typically as lead investor), and a number of others are not appropriate for SEIS/EIS investors. Care should be taken to ensure all drafting notes and footnotes have been reviewed, with amendments and deletions made as directed. In particular, the company should ensure it is happy to give the warranties set out in clause 5.

This document does not constitute legal or tax advice and no guarantee can be made that the ASA will be compliant with SEIS and/or EIS legislation. Parties should consult a lawyer or tax adviser if SEIS/EIS relief is to be relied upon

ADVANCE SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT

Dated [effective date]

Parties

[subscriber name] of [subscriber address] (the "Subscriber"); and

[company name] LIMITED a company incorporated and registered in [company jurisdiction] with company number [company number] and having its registered office at [registered office] (the "Company"); and

[founder name] of [founder address] (the "Founders").

Introduction

The Subscriber has agreed to make advance subscription funds available to the Company for the subscription for Subscription Shares (as defined below) and the Company has agreed to allot and issue the Subscription Shares to the Subscriber at a future date and on the terms more particularly described in this agreement.

IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS

DEFINITIONS

Terms defined in the articles of association adopted by the Company as at the date of this agreement shall have the same meaning in this agreement, unless the context requires otherwise or such terms are otherwise defined.

In this agreement:

This is a preview. The full template is free on GitLaw.

5.0 out of 5 on Google

Read reviews

As seen in

Law360
Artificial Lawyer
Insider
Axios Pro
San Francisco Business Times
Built In
Startups Magazine
Business Reporter
Tech.eu

England & Wales note

This version is drafted for England & Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ on some points — for example notice periods and tribunal procedure. Tell GitLaw where you hire and it adjusts the draft.

Jurisdiction
England & Wales
Source
Advanced Subscription Agreement (UK) by Seedsummit
from Seedsummit
Document info
HTML document. Document created on Fri Sep 26th, 2025. Last updated on Sat Oct 25th, 2025.
This document is public
Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (Attribution).
Come to agreements faster
Write, review, negotiate, and manage legal contracts
Related documents
England & Wales
Term Sheet (UK) by Seedsummit
The Seedsummit Seed Share Term Sheet outlines key terms for an early-stage equity financing round under UK law, covering valuation, liquidation preferences, investor rights, founder vesting, and governance. It provides a model structure for venture capital investment using Series Seed preferred shares, reflecting BVCA-standard provisions and typical UK market practice.
Updated 12 Aug 2026
England & Wales
Shareholders Agreement (UK)
This template is a comprehensive agreement for shareholders of a private limited company in the United Kingdom, governing the management, share transfers, and decision-making processes. It covers critical areas such as board composition, reserved matters requiring special consent, pre-emption rights, and leaver provisions. It also includes mechanisms for resolving deadlocks (like 'Russian Roulette') and restrictive covenants to protect the company's business interests.
Updated 24 Apr 2026
England & Wales
Founder Collaboration Agreement (UK) by Seedsummit
The Seedsummit Founder Collaboration Agreement is designed for potential founders to establish key terms before officially incorporating a startup company. It outlines how intellectual property developed during the collaboration will be assigned to the future company, details initial share ownership and vesting schedules, and includes provisions for confidentiality.
Updated 25 Oct 2025
US
SAFE: Valuation Cap, No Discount (US) by Y Combinator
The Y Combinator SAFE: Valuation Cap, No Discount (US) is designed to let startups raise early capital by granting investors the right to future equity at a capped valuation, without offering any additional discount at conversion. Unlike other SAFEs, this version excludes the percentage discount mechanism (which normally gives investors shares at a reduced price), relying only on the valuation cap to protect investors. It is part of Y Combinator’s widely adopted library of open, lawyer-vetted standard financing documents.
Updated 6 Oct 2025
FeaturedCayman Islands
Pro Rata Side Letter (Caymans) by Y Combinator
This agreement grants an investor the right to maintain their ownership percentage by purchasing a proportional share of new stock during a future equity financing round. It is specifically designed to accompany a Y Combinator Post-Money Valuation Cap Safe and remains active until the equity financing closes or a liquidity event occurs.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedNew York (US)
Model PIPE Securities Purchase Agreement (FPI) (NVCA)
This template is a securities purchase agreement for private investments in public equity (PIPE) involving foreign private issuers. It facilitates the sale of ordinary shares, American Depositary Shares (ADSs), or warrants to institutional investors under SEC registration exemptions. The document includes detailed representations regarding regulatory compliance, financial reporting, and the legal status of securities in non-U.S. jurisdictions.
Updated 13 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

A template isn't binding on its own - like any contract, it becomes binding once it's properly completed and signed. Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law; review any template before you sign it.

Yes. Chat with GitLaw to edit any section, or make changes directly in the editor.

Yes, read about team plans here.

Describe what you need in the chat and GitLaw will draft it for you.

Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law. The wider library comes from the GitLaw community and public sources - a solid starting point, but check any template fits your situation before you rely on it.

Mostly US and UK law. Some templates use general commercial terms that work across jurisdictions, and many note which law they're written for.

It depends on the situation. Templates work well for routine business agreements. For anything involving significant money, complex IP, employment, or areas you're unsure about, it's worth getting professional advice before you sign. GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice.

Open any template in GitLaw and describe the change you want in the chat — 'make clause 4 mutual' or 'add a 30-day notice period', for example. GitLaw drafts the revised language and shows it as a suggested edit. You accept, reject, or keep editing from there.

Yes. Upload a Word, PDF, or Markdown file and GitLaw will open it in the editor. You can review, edit, or chat with GitLaw about it the same way you would with any template from the library.

Trusted by 5,000+ businesses

Nexus logoMlabs logoTechstars logo

From template to signed, in one place

Every template opens in an editor with an AI agent alongside it.

1

Open

Pick a template and open it. Nothing to download, and no credit card to start.

Free to open

2

Edit with AI

Describe your situation in chat and the agent adapts the wording, clause by clause.

Tracked changes you can review

3

Send and sign

Share it for negotiation, then collect signatures without leaving GitLaw.

eSign included

Built for your legal work,
with practicing lawyers

Trained on 5,500+ clauses and specialist areas of law. Built with a standards committee of independent lawyers.

As seen in

Law360
Artificial Lawyer
Insider
Axios Pro
San Francisco Business Times
Built In
Startups Magazine
Business Reporter
Tech.eu

Ready to get started?

No sales calls, no credit card. Just chat with GitLaw.

GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice. Templates are a starting point, not a substitute for advice on your situation - for anything significant, speak to a qualified lawyer.