Investors’ Rights Agreement (Includes a Inclusion Provision) (NVCA)

NVCAUpdated 17 Oct 2025

This sample document is the work product of a national coalition of attorneys who specialize in venture capital financings, working under the auspices of the NVCA. This document is intended to serve as a starting point only, and should be tailored to meet your specific requirements. This document should not be construed as legal advice for any particular facts or circumstances. Note that this sample document presents an array of (often mutually exclusive) options with respect to particular deal provisions.

Some footnotes were merely moved, so for convenience of review, the drafting committee haswe’ve flagged new footnotes and footnotes that were substantively revised (excluding cleanup changes) in the October 2024 revision , as a redline will show as changes footnotes that merely moved making it harder to discern a “substantive” change.).

Preliminary Note

An Investors’ Rights Agreement can cover many different subjects. The most common are information rights, registration rights, contractual “rights of first offer” or “preemptive” rights (i.e., the right to purchase securities in subsequent equity financings conducted by the Company), and various post-closing covenants of the Company.

[AMENDED AND RESTATED] INVESTORS’ RIGHTS AGREEMENT¹

¹The introduction and recitals have been streamlined and made more consistent across the stockholder agreements.

THIS [AMENDED AND RESTATED] INVESTORS’ RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made as of [________], 20[__], by and among [____________], a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), [and] the Investors (as defined below) [and the Key Holders (as defined below)].

RECITALS² 

² This first set of Recitals is appropriate when you are drafting legal documents in connection with the Company’s sale of its first series of preferred stock (Series A). Consider adding references to Key Holders in the Recitals, as appropriate.

[Alternative 1

³ This first set of Recitals is appropriate when you are drafting legal documents in connection with the Company’s sale of its first series of preferred stock (Series A). Consider adding references to Key Holders in the Recitals, as appropriate.

WHEREAS, the Company and the Investors are parties to that certain Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement of even date herewith (the “Purchase Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, in order to induce the Company to enter into the Purchase Agreement and to induce the Investors to invest funds in the Company pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Investors and the Company hereby agree that this Agreement shall govern the rights of the Investors to cause the Company to register shares of Common Stock issuable to the Investors, to receive certain information from the Company, and to participate in future equity offerings by the Company, and shall govern certain other matters as set forth in this Agreement;]

[Alternative 2

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
Jurisdiction
Jurisdictions aren't set for this document
Document info
HTML document. Document created on Wed Sep 10th, 2025. Last updated on Fri Oct 17th, 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
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
India
BSE Listing Agreement – Part I (India).docx
This document serves as the regulatory agreement for companies seeking to list their equity shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). It establishes the formal commitment to comply with statutory listing requirements and maintain ongoing reporting standards under Indian securities law.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
US
Security Policies Github Sirt Description Rfc 2350 (GitHub)
This document provides a standardized description of a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) following the RFC 2350 protocol. It details contact methods, the team's mission and authority, and specific procedures for handling security incidents.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Singapore
Convertible Note Term Sheet by Cofounders
This non-binding term sheet outlines the core conditions for a convertible promissory note financing round up to $1,000,000 SGD. It defines the conversion mechanisms, including a 25% discount and a $3,500,000 SGD valuation cap for pre-seed and seed-stage investments.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Germany
Term Sheet (Germany) by Seedsummit
This term sheet outlines the principal investment terms for a Series Seed financing of a German company. It defines the economic stakes, control rights, and investor protections such as liquidation preferences and anti-dilution clauses.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
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

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.