Yes, you will need a registered agent with a valid U.S. address before you can register your Delaware corporation. U.S. fintech banking platforms and Stripe will also require a U.S. address. We provide registered agent services and a U.S. business address with all of our packages.

No. You do not need US citizenship, US residency, or SSN. You can incorporate and run your Delaware corporation from any of the 150 countries we serve.

If your goal is to raise capital from U.S. investors, a Delaware corporation is the structure most commonly used by U.S. startups and venture-backed companies.

Unlike an LLC, a corporation is designed to issue and transfer shares, making it straightforward to establish founder ownership, issue equity to employees, create an option pool, and bring investors into the company.

Delaware also has a well-established corporate legal system and Court of Chancery, which specializes in business and corporate disputes. Its extensive body of corporate case law provides a level of predictability and familiarity that makes investors more comfortable investing.

Together, the corporate structure, investor familiarity, and established legal framework make Delaware corporations the gold standard for founders preparing to raise capital in the U.S.

Yes. A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is a common way for startups to raise capital, but it is only one of several financing options available to founders.

SAFE documents were created by Y Combinator, and its standard SAFE forms are available to download directly from its website at no cost. You can review the original documents and choose the appropriate version based on the terms agreed with your investor. View Y Combinator’s SAFE documents.

Generally speaking, preparing SAFE documents before you have an investor who is ready to fund and has agreed to invest through a SAFE is premature. The appropriate financing instrument may instead be a convertible note, priced equity round, or another structure depending on the circumstances.

If you don’t have investors ready to invest through a SAFE, getting your Delaware corporation properly structured and investment-ready should take priority over a SAFE.

If you later negotiate a SAFE with an investor, the investor will often have legal counsel who can prepare or review the financing documents. If not, we can provide general guidance on the process and help you understand what is required.

An 83(b) election lets founders choose to pay tax on stock based on its low initial value when purchased from the corporation, rather than when it vests (usually over a period of years) and may be more valuable.

Because founder stock is often worth very little when the company is incorporated, electing 83(b) can help avoid a larger tax liability as the company grows. The election must be filed within 30 days of the stock purchase, and cannot be extended.

We provide guidance on this process.

Delaware compliance includes submitting annual reports, and paying franchise tax to the state of Delaware. Each year you will also need to file a corporate tax return (1120) with the IRS and submit a 5472 information return as a foreign owner.

We can remind you when these filings are due and file them for you if you would like.