Deal Terms & Legal

Vesting acceleration

Also: Single trigger; Double trigger

Unvested equity vesting early on an event — single trigger on acquisition, double trigger on acquisition plus being let go.

Why it matters

Double trigger is the norm for founders and staff; it protects you if a buyer cleans house after an acquisition.

Hear it from people who've done it

Get the real-world version of "Vesting acceleration" drawn from hundreds of conversations with founders and investors.

Go deeper

Perspective X with Pauline Fetaui · 19 June 2026

Investment Thesis with Kali Norman · 12 June 2026

Investment Thesis with Kali Norman · 29 May 2026

Related terms

Equity is earned over time (vesting); a cliff is an initial period you must pass before any of it is yours.

Founders' own shares vesting over time, so a co-founder who leaves early doesn't walk with a huge stake.

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