ETHAN COLESTARTUP & VENTURE ATTORNEYTALK ABOUT YOUR STARTUP Evolving Connect

SaaS contracts

The product is software.The relationship is a contract.

Define access, payment, service levels, data responsibilities, intellectual property, risk, and termination rights.

Talk about your startup
Technology team working in an open studioBUILT AROUND YOUR BUSINESS.

01 / THE PROBLEM

The contract promises more than the product can deliver.

A contract should reflect how the product actually works and what the team can deliver. Align sales commitments with support, security, data handling, and third-party dependencies before signing.

+02 / COMMON FRICTION

Small gaps.Bigger questions.

01Sales terms disconnected from operations

02Unclear data responsibilities

03Conflicting agreement and order form

04Open-ended liability

05No practical exit process

03 / HOW ETHAN CAN HELP

Understand the business.
Then the documents.

Start with your objective and the documents already in place. Identify the decisions that need attention, discuss practical options, and coordinate the work needed to move forward.

A contract should reflect how the product actually works and what the team can deliver. Align sales commitments with support, security, data handling, and third-party dependencies before signing.

+04 / WHAT THE SERVICE MAY INCLUDE

The workbehind the next step.

  1. SaaS and master service agreements
  2. Enterprise agreements and order forms
  3. Terms of Service and SLAs
  4. Data Processing Agreements
  5. API and licensing agreements
  6. Beta, pilot, and reseller agreements

The scope is agreed for each engagement. Some questions may require coordination with tax, employment, or other specialist advisers.

05 / WHERE IT FITS

BUILDSELLSCALE

07 / WHEN YOU MAY NEED THIS

Signing your first enterprise customer?Updating your standard customer terms?

+FOUNDER FAQ

Good questions.Clearer next steps.

General information only.
Not legal or tax advice.

01

What should a SaaS agreement cover?

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Consider access rights, fees, acceptable use, service commitments, data handling, IP, confidentiality, liability, and termination. The agreement should match the product and the customer relationship.

02

When should a startup use outside legal counsel?

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A useful time is before a consequential commitment: issuing equity, accepting investment, hiring, transferring IP, or signing a material contract. The scope should reflect the company’s stage and needs.

+FROM PRODUCT TO BUSINESS

Behind the product.Between the people.

Connect the work your team creates with the relationships that help it reach the world.

Technology team working in an open studio
01 / WHAT YOU BUILD
Product team collaborating in a modern workplace
02 / HOW YOU WORK
Explore SaaS contracts

YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS WITH A CONVERSATION.

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what you’re building.

Tell Ethan where the company is today
and what needs to happen next.

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