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Cap Table and Exit Waterfall Tool

Free
4.9
30,843

Financial model template to create a capitalization table through multiple rounds of investments via equity, SAFEs, and convertible notes, and forecast how investment rounds impact ownership, dilution, valuations, and distribution of proceeds to entrepreneurs and investors through a detailed exit waterfall.

Input a Price: $20 suggested, but "0" is ok! All donations appreciated.
$
USD
Download to Microsoft Excel™ and Copy to Google Sheets™

5 out of 5 stars

“Great model that includes all the bells and whistles you may need in a complex waterfall. Taylor was extremely responsive and helpful when it came to answer my questions. Thank you so much!!”

Hayley Nystrom
Investor, Blue Bear Capital

The cap table and exit waterfall are intended to be instructional tools to analyze how raising investment capital impacts cap tables, ownership, and proceeds at exit to shareholders of a company. Use in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets; all cells and formulas are unlocked for editing and transparency, add on or edit for your specific situation.

The base cap table is extendable to as many rounds as you need to model - simply highlight the columns for a full round's calcs and paste to the right - and the exit waterfall is similarly extendable.

Model new preferred equity raises, common stock issuances, transfers, and sales, anti-dilution protection, option pools, premoney and postmoney SAFEs, and convertible notes.

You may want to alter the model to fit your desired layout and formatting, or to modify it to fit your specific usecase, and that's great; I highly encourage you to learn how to build your own cap table (and exit waterfall) specific to your situation, and my goal for this template is for it to an educational tool, and not just an executional template. I have spent hundreds of hours working on the structure, design, and terminology used in the model based on using this tool with founders, investors, and lawyers, as well as teaching people the core concepts.

The base cap table and exit waterfall can also be used to scenario modeling future rounds and exit distributions to shareholders, and built to be easy to use from an export of a share register from any of the online cap table management platforms.

Use Existing Share Register

Model Preferred and Common Equity

Share Price Calcs

Dilution and Ownership Impact

Convertible Notes

Postmoney SAFEs

YC Fixed % SAFEs

YC MFN

Premoney SAFEs

Transparent Conversion Calcs

Option Pools (New and Refreshes)

Warrants Issuances

Multiple Rounds Proforma

Prorata Calcs

Anti-Dilution and Down Rounds

Waterfall Scenario Analysis

Exit Probability-Weighted Returns

Model Liquidation Preferences

Graduation Rates-Based Proforma

Investor Returns

Returns to Preferred and Common

Senior, Junior, Pari-Passu Share Classes

Liquidation Preference Multiple

Preferred Dividends

Non-Participating and Participating Preferred

Conversion Ratio to Common

Options Exercise using Strike Price

Warrants Exercise, incl Cashless

Documentation

Each sheet in the model is detailed below, with links to documentation as relevant.

  • README
    Contact into, overview on model. Safe to delete or hide. Details on the colors and formatting in the model at Model Formatting.

  • License
    Terms of use of the model. Safe to delete or hide.

  • Example Cap Table
    Core cap table example, used to model 1+ rounds of issuing equity to investors (new and proratas to existing investors), as well as converting premoney and postmoney SAFEs, convertible notes, issuing option pools, and more. Easy to use for proforma cap table analysis and scenario modeling for evaluating the impact of raising funding on ownership, dilution, and more.

  • Example Cap Table, with Anti Dilution
    Core cap table example, adding prebuilt anti-dilution protection for preferred equity investors if the option is selected and if it is applicable based on new share prices. This handles ownership dilution and value dilution, and for situations where the investor is issued new shares as well as the conversion ratio is changed. In addition to the implementation options, the amount of anti-dilution protection can be calculated using full ratchet and weighted average (broad-based and narrow-based) anti-dilution protection, and this is calculated separately for each investor with anti-dilution protection.

  • Example Cap Table, Issuing Equity
    Example cap table, only modeling the issuance of an equity round

  • Example Cap Table, Issuing Options
    Example cap table, modeling the issuance of an equity round and an option pool

  • Example Cap Table, Converting SAFEs and Notes
    Example cap table, modeling the issuance of an equity round and converting SAFEs and Convertible Notes

  • Example Exit Waterfall
    Core exit waterfall example (also calleda liquidation waterfall or liquidation analysis), using a predistribution cap table and assumptions for exit prices to calculate equity distribution to each class of shareholder, using pari-passu or seniority by shareholder class, based on liquidation preferences, optional participation rights, optional dividends, option and warrant exercise based on strike prices, and more. This sheet was updated in Feb 2025 to make it much easier to use and extend for different number of share classes.

    Testing for unconverted convertibles to pay as debt or as equity is not supported by default in the template. Please (contact me for custom solutions for this)

  • Resources
    Links to other models and resources for modeling venture capital funds and investments, from around the web. Safe to delete or hide.

  • Glossary
    Glossary of key terminology in the model. Safe to delete or hide.

  • Changelog
    List of what has been changed in model versions. Safe to delete or hide, although I'd advise to hide (instead of delete) so can always check to see what model version you are using to compare to future changes.

More Tools for Modeling Cap Tables

I am a fan of Angelcalc for analyzing investment rounds, which does a good job of allowing you to model different rounds, different types of investments (equity, convertible notes, premoney and postmoney SAFEs), and seeing how the cap table changes (ownership, dilution, and more) when new rounds happen.

Carta's Safe and Convertible Note Calculator is another tool that will automatically take inputs around your cap table and convertible instruments and calculate how they convert in equity rounds.

I do not build my spreadsheet to be a tracking or cap table management tool, which is why it does not handle some specific functions to track options vesting and per-investor details; Alexander Jarvis provides a spreadsheet that is intended to be a cap table tracking tool with more features to support that usecase.

Once you're running a company, I highly suggest using an online cap table management platform, as it will provide more functionality and features to help make sure that all the details are correctly entered and maintained, which is one of the difficult things to handle with spreadsheets. A few to consider:

  1. Model can be downloaded for use in Excel or copied to your Google Drive for use in Google Sheets. Can be used in Excel, Google Docs, and many other spreadsheet programs. One time purchase, updates automatically distributed for free.
  2. Any number in blue with grey shaded background is an input (i.e. an assumption or data point that can be changed), anything in black is the result of a formula. Change blue at will, change anything in black with caution. More on model formatting.
  3. All cells and formulas are unlocked and no macros are used - as in all Foresight models - so that you can make edits as needed and completely understand what is going on.
  4. All assumptions are illustrative ONLY, do not assume they are market data or standard.
  5. As with all templates, feel free to create your own model from scratch, using this as a guide

Questions, happy to assist, contact anytime. Documentation for many model features is detailed at Docs, I provide personal support through free email support and short screenshares and calls, detailed here →

I also provide custom model services for 50-100 companies per year, or check out the Talent Collective for other resources for building financial models, and contact me if you have any questions or specific needs.

Screenshots

Cap Table And Exit Waterfall Tool Screenshot
Cap Table And Exit Waterfall Tool Screenshot

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Reviews

4.9
(345 ratings)

Review data

5 star reviews

87%

4 star reviews

11%

3 star reviews

1%

2 star reviews

0%

1 star reviews

0%
Spencer Brown

Spencer Brown

CEO, Logic Point

Awesome tool. Easy to use. I have looked at a lot of cap tables including creating my own but to be able to model the different investment options this is the best (easiest) that I have seen out there. Thanks Taylor!

Hayley Nystrom

Hayley Nystrom

Investor, Blue Bear Capital

Great model that includes all the bells and whistles you may need in a complex waterfall. Taylor was extremely responsive and helpful when it came to answer my questions. Thank you so much!!

Adil Jafry

Adil Jafry

General Partner, Ecosphere Ventures

Taylor helped me clarify my conceptual understanding of how the SAFE note terms are modeled, including the distinction between ... Pre- vs Post-Money Cap SAFEs.

Aaron Lane

Aaron Lane

CFO

So easy to understand. Thanks for the video and very useful tool - makes a potentially complex process very easy.

Andrew Muir

Andrew Muir

Investment Director, Future Planet Capital

I love this spreadsheet and recommend it highly.

Cristin Mullen

Cristin Mullen

Associate, UCeed Investment Funds

I was provided the cap table and exit waterfall tool and instruction as part of the Canadian Women in VC Bootcamp. Modeling cap tables and waterfalls can be incredibly challenging, especially when there is a number of existing convertible securities. Foresight's tool was easy to follow and modify for use in a number of different exit modeling scenarios I have since done.

Matthew Pryor

Matthew Pryor

Cofounder, Tenacious Ventures

Taylor was amazingly helpful and super responsive

Jesse Robbins

Jesse Robbins

Investor, Heavybit

I continue to use and recommend the Cap Table + Round + Exit model + other tools that [Taylor] provides. Some are free, all are valuable. (Have paid ~$300 and saved so much time and money over years as a Founder CEO, Angel, VC).

Ron Sheridan

Ron Sheridan

Entrepreneur

I urgently needed to be able to model Cap Table scenarios internally and with a prospective investor for my startup.Taylor's cap table model was perfect and I was able to reach out to Taylor and engage his services to help me answer questions I had and gain deeper insight into the subject matter.

4.9
(1133 ratings)

Review data

5 star reviews

89%

4 star reviews

8%

3 star reviews

2%

2 star reviews

0%

1 star reviews

0%
Jeffrey Abbott

Jeffrey Abbott

Founding Partner, Blitzscaling Ventures

Taylor was extremely organized and made efficient use of time while covering a complex topic. He comes prepared with a wealth of tools and templates that allow one to continue learning and practicing independently after the course. Build A Cap Table From Scratch

Joseph Khoury Abboud

Joseph Khoury Abboud

CMA

I want to express my sincere appreciation for Taylor Davidson's referrals. Since signing up, I've had the incredible opportunity to work on multiple projects from clients all over the world, including some from startups and PE firms. These opportunities came directly from being referred by Taylor. Beyond that, Taylor's videos and templates have been invaluable in enhancing my modeling and finance skills. I highly encourage any modeling or finance professional to join, Taylor's referral alone opens the door to clients eager to collaborate with you! Talent

Evan Absher

Evan Absher

Law Professor, UMKC School of Law

A lot of material was covered during the time allotted. I thought the major concepts were well-explained and the materials supported the lecture. Build A Cap Table From Scratch

Edward Abt

Edward Abt

Operator

Very impressive. Incredibly comprehensive. Taylor is quick to respond to any queries. Standard Financial Model

Beatriz Gandarias

Beatriz Gandarias

Investment Senior Analyst, Alta Life Sciences

Very useful, gives clear ideas on key concepts, specially for VCs that are so worried on how a new round affects exit values etc. and clear instructions on how an exit waterfall works. Fantastic models people can use to build own models in real life work. Cap Table Masterclass

Janet Bell

Janet Bell

Analyst, Canaan Ventures

Great class! Great instructor! You will leave this course feeling confident in cap table modeling and exit waterfall analysis from the very simple to the more complex scenarios. Taylor teaches you the concepts that make modeling easy. Highly recommend. Cap Table Masterclass

Eliza Blank

Eliza Blank

CEO, The Sill

Rebuilding our financial model starting with a Foresight template — and layering in Taylor’s consulting — saved me a considerable amount of time and resulted in a far more sophisticated model. Working with Taylor allowed me more time to focus on my business and my fundraising. I would recommend a Foresight template to any business owner. Standard Financial Model

Spencer Brown

Spencer Brown

CEO, Logic Point

Awesome tool. Easy to use. I have looked at a lot of cap tables including creating my own but to be able to model the different investment options this is the best (easiest) that I have seen out there. Thanks Taylor! Cap Table Tool

Stephen Caggiano

Stephen Caggiano

CIO, Kobliat

Taylor's expertise in his field is evident, and he couples it with an exceedingly amicable manner. Taylor's work speaks for itself (the models are stunning!), and his insightful questions, lively discussion and ongoing support make working with him a pleasure. Standard Financial Model

Marcia Callaghan

Marcia Callaghan

CEO, Vallt

Worth every penny! Purchased the Saas Model two years ago, and Taylor *still* swiftly responds to every email any time a question or need arises. He is extremely fair + generous with rates for providing additional support throughout the customization process. Standard Financial Model

Lawson Carmichael

Lawson Carmichael

Venture Partner, Resilient Ventures, LLC

Great product that made a huge project much much much easier. Quick response to questions and clarifications. Excellent! Venture Studio Model

Robert Caveney

Robert Caveney

CEO, Schoolio

Very logically laid out and very flexible. Easy to "bring your own model". Lines can be inserted to expand the number of attributes, for example different operational metrics. And the support is great. Highly recommend. Standard Financial Model

Adam Corey

Adam Corey

Co-Founder and Operating Partner, Village Global

Taylor was remarkably helpful in taking the templated model and customizing it so that it worked for our specific and very complicated use case. It was a smooth process that would not have been possible with someone who was equally great at spreadsheets but lacked Taylor's deep knowledge of venture capital. Venture Capital Model

Daniel Blank

Daniel Blank

CEO, Toggle

Foresight's model is very professionally constructed, thorough and flexible. It gave us the clarity we needed as an early stage startup to pitch investors with a solid understanding of our financial needs and possibilities. Thanks to Taylor's help and the model we were able to successfully raise capital for our business. Standard Financial Model

Evan Diaz de Arce

Evan Diaz de Arce

Startup CFO

The [Venture Investor] model is very in depth and chances are, if you have an issue the model can handle it. If you do need to make modifications and aren't sure exactly what you to do, Taylor is incredibly helpful and responsive over email. He helped me make a few unusual changes to the model and even looked through my changes. Venture Capital Model

Mike Degnan

Mike Degnan

Worth its weight in gold. Venture Capital Model

Mattheus Dias

Mattheus Dias

Head of Finance, Brighteye Ventures

Great course and format. Covers from the basics to more complex topics and Taylor did an amazing job on having a hands on approach as he didn't stick to the theory and was building models in real time. How To Model Venture Funds

Michael P Edwards

Michael P Edwards

Founder

Understanding the ins and outs of fund modeling is generally not a walk in park and can be convoluted. The resources from Foresight have been a huge help towards my learnings of portfolio construction, fund metrics and waterfall analysis. Venture Capital Model

David Feinberg

David Feinberg

Founder, CrunchTime Solutions

Taylor's excel models are without question the best financial models. As someone who has done freelance financial modeling, I have a great appreciation for architecture and intuitive design. Taylor's work is amazingly powerful and customizable while remaining usable for those less experienced with Excel. Standard Financial Model

Guiseppe Folonari

Guiseppe Folonari

Operations and Growth

Great template, thorough but also easy to get under the hood and customize. Venture Capital Model

Xavier Friel

Xavier Friel

Analyst, Plainsight Capital

Great course for understanding the math and logic necessary to model cap tables and waterfalls. This coming from someone who had no prior experience. Cap Table Masterclass

Laura Frishman

Laura Frishman

Corporate Strategy and Development, Picsart

Great course with extremely supportive instructor. We covered a lot of material in a very short span of time which was very impressive. I love that Taylor provides access to the material even after the course is done, allowing me the time necessary to fully absorb. Cap Table Masterclass

Gabriel Jarrosson

Gabriel Jarrosson

VC, Lobster Capital

Both the [model] and Taylor are amazing! Definitely recommend. Venture Capital Model

Abhijit Gadkari

Abhijit Gadkari

Investor

Excellent course to get all the basics covered to build a cap table! Course material and contents are succinct. Above all, Taylor did a great job explaining every single step of creating a cap table! I will highly recommend this course to founders. Build A Cap Table From Scratch

Matthew Gilson

Matthew Gilson

Partner & VP of Operations, Inicio Capital

Taylor was extremely helpful and put context to a lot of concepts we needed clarity on. Venture Capital Model

Gleb Shestakov

Gleb Shestakov

Director of Data, Flowspace

Amazing! Standard Financial Model

Ali Greenberg

Ali Greenberg

CEO, The Broad

Taylor worked with us to create a custom model perfect for our unique business that helped us start off on the right foot and quickly plan for growth. I couldn't recommend it more! Starter Financial Model

Steve Greenfield

Steve Greenfield

General Partner, Automotive Ventures

Taylor is able to quickly distill complex fund modeling techniques for the average user. I highly recommend this course for any first-time VC manager or analyst, and as a refresher for those who have been in the industry for a while. How To Model Venture Funds

Chris Griffiths

Chris Griffiths

CEO, OpenGenius

Taylor provides a very detailed model. This was invaluable to us. The personal service and customisation work that was provided was of the highest level. We were up against a difficult deadline and Taylor worked with us to ensure this was met. We highly recommend the SaaS model, and personalisation work provided by Taylor. Saas Financial Model

Lukas Grodl

Lukas Grodl

Legal Counsel, Purple Ventures

I thoroughly enjoyed the course! Taylor made it incredibly interesting, yet still managed to keep it simple. Even though I'm familiar with funds and excel, I found it difficult to model everything accurately from scratch. However, the free templates that Taylor provided were incredibly helpful - they pushed me to go further than what I'm used to. The workshop was also great, Taylor's "start small and scale" approach really helped me to understand and appreciate the models. How To Model Venture Funds

Seth Hallen

Seth Hallen

Managing Partner, Hallstone Ventures

Clearly comprehensive and useful. Venture Capital Model

Evan Hamilton

Evan Hamilton

Founder/General Partner, Lilac Capital Group

Taylor is a terrific instructor who patiently walks through every model that he has built and thoughtfully answers all questions; regardless of how nuanced or basic. He is also quite generous with his time and additional materials, so the value of the course is quite evident. Finally, its clear how much he loves this material and will happily go on a tangent where you can nerd out about different elements of the course. How To Model Venture Funds

Simon Haworth

Simon Haworth

Partner, Tramsline Fund

This is training that you actually get to take home with you and implement - a rare thing in business education. Taylor is very good at answering project-specific follow-on questions and the course materials deserve proper attention: reading and implementing via spreadsheets. How To Model Venture Funds

Hayley Nystrom

Hayley Nystrom

Investor, Blue Bear Capital

Great model that includes all the bells and whistles you may need in a complex waterfall. Taylor was extremely responsive and helpful when it came to answer my questions. Thank you so much!! Cap Table Tool

Brian Howe

Brian Howe

CEO, Format Health

As a startup coach and repeat entrepreneur myself, I spend a lot of time in spreadsheets. The Foresight tools that I’ve used are easy to understand, modify, and, perhaps most importantly, the formulas are correct! Beyond the actual spreadsheets, Taylor is a wealth of knowledge and an incredibly quick communicator. He has gone above and beyond what I expected to deliver value. Runway And Cash Budget Tool

David Hua

David Hua

CEO, Meadow

Taylor helped us with our financial model when we were planning to go raise capital. He was fast to respond and even walked us through all the dependencies of the model. When it came time to update the model a year later, he was very responsive to help and adjust it based off of our product updates. It was a great experience and am super thankful for the assistance. Standard Financial Model

Robert Jacques

Robert Jacques

Venture Partner, Root System

Taylor delivers an effective and interesting sequence of lessons to model pre-seed, seed and letter rounds and the impact to outcomes by different instruments. I left the course feeling that I can absolutely model out a cap table for a series of fundraising rounds effectively and I have an excellent baseline with which to evaluate the result of different instrument choices when making tactical decisions while doing due diligence on deals. Can't recommend the class more! Cap Table Masterclass

Adil Jafry

Adil Jafry

General Partner, Ecosphere Ventures

Taylor helped me clarify my conceptual understanding of how the SAFE note terms are modeled, including the distinction between ... Pre- vs Post-Money Cap SAFEs. Cap Table Tool

Erica Jain

Erica Jain

CEO, Healthie

Absolutely loved working with Taylor and Foresight as we built out the next iteration of our financial model - would continue to recommend him to any founder who is looking for a scalable financial model + excellent support with tailoring it to a company's specific needs. Standard Financial Model

Paul Jameson

Paul Jameson

Strategic Finance Executive

I couldn't have better things to say about getting additional guidance from Taylor to ensure I maximize the utility of the standard model when embarking on modeling some new (to me) complexities. Absolutely worth the price of admission and would do it again when I have other challenges to tackle when building a tailored strategic model for clients. Get Started

Phil Joseph

Phil Joseph

Investment Analyst, Real Ventures

I really enjoyed taking this course. Very knowledgeable instructor, and access to tons of resources. I think it's also important to note that depending on your baseline knowledge, you may need to dedicate time outside of the course to understanding and retaining the concepts. Cap Table Masterclass

Matt Katase

Matt Katase

Cofounder, Brew Gentlemen

Anyone can toss together a quick and careless excel spreadsheet but what is it really worth if it doesn't truly tell the story of the business? Taylor took the time to understand the ins and outs of our business and helped build a flexible model that made sense. His guidance and work helped secure us a loan from the bank (who thought it was one of the best models they've ever seen). Custom Services

Geri Kirilova

Geri Kirilova

Managing Partner, Laconia Capital

Foresight's Venture Model was extremely helpful for us as we mapped out our capital allocation strategy for both existing and forecasted funds. The model is more robust than anything we could have built in-house in such a short time period. It provides all the information we want, from a portfolio dashboard to operating forecasts and financial statements for our funds & management company alike. Taylor's published guidelines make it very easy to navigate the model, and in case that wasn't enough, his customer support has been exceptional -- he is prompt, thoughtful, and generously thoughtful with his responses to our questions. We look forward to continuing to use his products and services. Venture Capital Model

Jose Kont

Jose Kont

Director, Cuantico

Thank you for this extraordinary and practical template. Venture Capital Model

Alex Koutromanos

Alex Koutromanos

Analyst

Taylor was very helpful in helping me understand the nuances of a waterfall model. He is a powerful educator who cares about his clients. Cap Table Services

Emi Kubota

Emi Kubota

Venture Partner, Impact WNC Fund

The Venture Capital Model ... has been an invaluable tool for our new fund in Western North Carolina, supporting both short-term recovery efforts and long-term growth capital in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The model is flexible, intuitive, and easy to use, making it an excellent resource for fund managers navigating complex investment scenarios. Beyond the tool itself, Taylor was incredibly helpful and responsive when we needed customizations, providing clear guidance that made a meaningful difference in adapting the model to our specific needs. We are deeply appreciative of both the product and the support—highly recommended for anyone in the venture space! Venture Capital Model

Aaron Lane

Aaron Lane

CFO

So easy to understand. Thanks for the video and very useful tool - makes a potentially complex process very easy. Cap Table Tool

Eugin Lee

Eugin Lee

Investor, Telstra Ventures

Great course for Cap Table 101. Taylor covered all the important concepts and explained them very well. Learned a lot - thank you! Cap Table Masterclass

David Libertalis

David Libertalis

Founder, Visii

I discovered Taylor’s Foresight thanks to OpenVC.app's high praise of his work which I must concur with. Not only is the model itself excellent: very powerful, flexible, and does what SaaS owners need, but above and beyond that, the speed and quality of Taylor’s support when you get stuck is exceptional. I would argue he undercharges for the quality of the product and service he offers. I highly recommend Foresight and Taylor, you won’t be disappointed. Standard Financial Model

Brett Long

Brett Long

Investor

This course was great because you could get real-world practice with a realistic VC fund model and work through some of the issues you would face in actually building your own from scratch. Very helpful for my growth. How To Model Venture Funds

Anita Ludwar

Anita Ludwar

Venture Partner, The51

This course did a great job building up to the case study - we started with fundamentals of modeling different investment scenarios and then progressed to waterfall analysis and a case study. Taylor is incredibly knowledgeable and makes himself available to answer questions as they come up. He also has a lot of helpful videos recorded to help with course work if needed. Cap Table Masterclass

Michael Margolis

Michael Margolis

CEO, Storied

These templates are worth their weight in gold. Hired Foresight for a few hours to customize the template and we moved mountains. Best money spent! Standard Financial Model

Connor McKenna

Connor McKenna

Portfolio Director, Pronghorn

Taylor leads a highly collaborative and instructional program which breaks down a higly complex subject into digestible and accessible components. I left the course comfortable not just with knowledge of the mechanics of a model, but the theory and "so what" context around cap table modeling and term sheet negotiations. Cap Table Masterclass

Luis Miguel

Luis Miguel

VC

Extremely helpful tool that saved us countless hours. Venture Capital Model

Michael Morvan

Michael Morvan

Investor, Roch Ventures

The Manual Portfolio Fund offers a unique granularity that sets it apart. The detailed insights provided are much appreciated, making it an invaluable tool for managing investments. Highly recommended! Venture Capital Model

Michael Morvan

Michael Morvan

Investor, Roch Ventures

Taylor's Venture Capital Model is very well-crafted and elegant. The Excel sheets are easy to work with, and Taylor is very responsive to any questions. Highly recommended! Venture Capital Model

Andrew Muir

Andrew Muir

Investment Director, Future Planet Capital

I love this spreadsheet and recommend it highly. Cap Table Tool

Cristin Mullen

Cristin Mullen

Associate, UCeed Investment Funds

I was provided the cap table and exit waterfall tool and instruction as part of the Canadian Women in VC Bootcamp. Modeling cap tables and waterfalls can be incredibly challenging, especially when there is a number of existing convertible securities. Foresight's tool was easy to follow and modify for use in a number of different exit modeling scenarios I have since done. Cap Table Tool

Kyle O'Brien

Kyle O'Brien

Venture Capitalist

Taylor is very clearly a seasoned expert and passionate teacher. The course is a great way to get your hands dirty building a venture model. I would recommend for emerging managers or those looking to augment their skillsets and up-level their thinking as it pertains to capital allocation, cash flow modeling and downstream impact of early decisions in fund formation. How To Model Venture Funds

Mark Otter

Mark Otter

CEO, Participate

I found this course to be very helpful and informative. Looking forward to building my first [cap] table! Build A Cap Table From Scratch

Dennis Pape

Dennis Pape

Cofounder and CE0, SeedFundersOrlando

Excellent coverage of modeling a VC fund both from a portfolio construction viewpoint and an operating viewpoint. Instructor interacts with participants in a workshop format and shows how excel templates work and impacts of assumptions. How To Model Venture Funds

Carl Pratt

Carl Pratt

CEO, Future Planet

There is a lot of information available on the web. Many tools solve part of the problem, some posts provide a small level of insight, others a slightly greater level. After 4 or 5 hours of research, I discovered Foresight. My only wish was to have discovered it earlier! This is the most effective, practical and well thought through modelling template. For such an important and foundational element of a business. to structure and optimise the agreements that are made at an early stage and forecast, with confidence, is a huge problem solved. Thank you!! Standard Financial Model

Matthew Pryor

Matthew Pryor

Cofounder, Tenacious Ventures

Taylor was amazingly helpful and super responsive Cap Table Tool

Raynor Dongieux

Raynor Dongieux

Founder, Curatus

Great primer for first time learners looking to break the ice on cap tables and a great refresh for anybody looking to brush up on dormant skills around modeling fundraising for startups. Build A Cap Table From Scratch

Camila Rivas

Camila Rivas

Investment Analyst, Anthemis

Liked the way theory and practice were presented. Taylor really walked us through a lot of scenarios, and was clear in his explanations and always open to questions. Cap Table Masterclass

Jesse Robbins

Jesse Robbins

Investor, Heavybit

I continue to use and recommend the Cap Table + Round + Exit model + other tools that [Taylor] provides. Some are free, all are valuable. (Have paid ~$300 and saved so much time and money over years as a Founder CEO, Angel, VC). Cap Table Tool

Matt Sand

Matt Sand

CEO, 3DEO

Taylor is my go-to for anything that has to do with financial models. He has the experience and perspective to help understand business challenges and develop winning business models. Standard Financial Model

Sanjana Saxena

Sanjana Saxena

Fantastic tool Venture Valuation Tool

Thomas Schreiber

Thomas Schreiber

Partner, Korra Ventures

Fantastic course! Taylor not only explains the mechanics of how to model a fund well, he also provides valuable insights into the questions to answer so that the model will reflect the reality and be feasible to execute. Taylor encourages us to ask questions and patiently answered all of them, the shared model spreadsheets were also very helpful. I also picked up some spreadsheet formulae tricks. How To Model Venture Funds

Gabrielle Schubach

Gabrielle Schubach

Manager, VC Finance & Operations

Relevant and helpful information for emerging fund managers. Tremendous value for the price point. Would highly recommend. How To Model Venture Funds

Sergio Choclan

Sergio Choclan

COO, Partner, Big Sur Ventures

The course is really worth it. It is easy to follow and the materials are very well thought through. Cap Table Masterclass

Shanti Elangovan

Shanti Elangovan

Founder, inquirED

Learned SO MUCH from Taylor. The live sessions, examples, and assignments just really helped break down so many complex topics. Really appreciated the thoughtfulness Taylor takes in the course design. Cap Table Masterclass

Ron Sheridan

Ron Sheridan

Entrepreneur

I urgently needed to be able to model Cap Table scenarios internally and with a prospective investor for my startup.Taylor's cap table model was perfect and I was able to reach out to Taylor and engage his services to help me answer questions I had and gain deeper insight into the subject matter. Cap Table Tool

Howie Schwartz

Howie Schwartz

Serial Entrepreneur & Angel Investor

Excellent course. It is a difficult topic to present as attendees will have different experience levels - and Taylor did a great job making this work for all attendees. How To Model Venture Funds

John Sisson

John Sisson

Sr. Director, Finance and Operations, Livmor

Your model is outstanding, both from an organizational standpoint but also from a technical perspective (coming from a fellow excel nerd). You saved our startup considerable time vs. starting from scratch. Standard Financial Model

Spencer Stensrude

Spencer Stensrude

CEO, Ag Ventures Alliance

Great resource for modeling venture funds. Taylor has probably seen more scenarios than anyone else, which makes him a great instructor for the class. How To Model Venture Funds

Jorge Torres

Jorge Torres

Instructor, Yale University

Taylor is a true expert who knows how to simplify complex concepts and communicate them with excitement and authority. As a guest speaker in my Maven venture capital course, Taylor had the difficult assignment of teaching the fundamentals of capitalization tables and portfolio construction in 90 minutes. He was fantastic! He covered a ton of material and patiently answered students' questions as they arose. He offered a wealth of free or easily-accessed resources, and he even stayed longer than he had promised so he could engage with students. Taylor collaborated extensively with me on the design of the session, and he was very well prepared to teach the class. I would definitely work with him again. How To Model Venture Funds

Tasnia Uddin

Tasnia Uddin

Operator

This course was amazing - it really laid out the foundations of learning a Cap Table and built up from there. I liked the scenario-style of learning, it allowed me to go over everything in my own time. Taylor's teaching also built my confidence by breaking everything down into easy to understand concepts. Build A Cap Table From Scratch

Hirem Umradia

Hirem Umradia

CEO, Zess

Taylor was extremely helpful and provided a service that far exceeded our expectations. The model was very well structured and I was able to modify it to my needs. Taylor helped me along the way to make sure I understood the model well. We had great feedback from investors, which is great because it was my first time putting together a financial model! Standard Financial Model

Aaron Vidas

Aaron Vidas

CEO, StrategyBox

Taylor's SaaS model has helped me quickly and easily build a financial model. It allowed me to easily capture the assumptions about my business model and discuss them with my investors. Allowing me to close a high six-figure seed round in record time. Saas Financial Model

Vince Vannelli

Vince Vannelli

Founder and Managing Partner, KPG Ventures

Excellent tool for conceptualizing outcomes of different strategies. Venture Capital Model

Zachary Weiner

Zachary Weiner

CFO and Advisor

There is no other way to put it; Taylor knows his stuff. From his financial model (which I have been using for years) to this course, his work always exceeds expectations. This course covers everything I expected and much more. The detail on SAFES, option pools, and exit waterfalls was the refresher I needed. Overall feel like I am now equipped for any cap table scenario. Cap Table Masterclass

Brian Weisberg

Brian Weisberg

CFO, Tidelift

Really well organized and broken down into steps that build on one another. Cap Table Masterclass

Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson

Vast Markets

Great [model]! Thoughtfully prepared and executed. Venture Capital Model

Ty Zamkow

Ty Zamkow

Co-Founder & CEO, Nolana

The starter model made it super easy for me to create a 5 year plan for our new business. Worth the investment. Taylor has also been super helpful and jumped on a call to explain how things worked. He went above and beyond what I expected. Starter Financial Model

If you have used this model, please share your thoughts >

Author

Taylor Davidson

Taylor Davidson, Founder, Foresight

I created the financial models behind Foresight so early-stage entrepreneurs can spend less time on finance and more time on their products. I care about financial modeling because I believe that financial models can help us make critical business decisions even if the models themselves are not “always right”. Financial models can help even the earliest entrepreneurs if we build “minimum viable models” to focus on the decisions that matter most.

More about me
  • Started building models for startups in 2000
  • Started Foresight in 2008, full-time since 2014
  • Have worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and venture funds on financial models
  • Former NYC-based venture capital investor
  • Angel investor in 100+ companies
  • Experience in ecommerce growth and analytics
  • Former private equity analyst, strategy consulting associate
  • Former professional photographer
  • MBA in Finance and Accounting

Common Questions

Foresight templates are a one-time purchase, with no recurring subscription. You can download and copy the templates to your own computer and use at any time, and you will have access to the product forever.
Your purchase of a model allows you download the latest version of that model at anytime. I use Gumroad to distribute the files; you can always download the most recent version of your model through your original Gumroad receipt. You will also get an email anytime that the model is updated so that you'll be aware of new updates and can download the latest version.
You can modify, edit, use, and share within your company (and with third-parties as needed to operate your business). You may not redistribute, resell, give away to others. Full license available under the legal section.
Of course! All formulas, cells and sheets are completely open, so you can edit anything to your liking. Each row on every sheet has a note about what that row's calculations are trying to do, and many of the components are explained in the documentation and videos, so that you can see how I did it - and help you figure out how to change it to your liking.
Foresight's models are Microsoft Excel™ or Google Sheets™ files, and they are available for download and access immediately after purchase. I recommend using Excel or Google Sheets with these templates. Foresight's models can be used in both Excel and Google Sheets interchangeably; simply upload the Microsoft Excel model template from Foresight into Google Sheets, or download the Google Sheets to Excel, and everything will structurally work fine. I offer the options - Download to Microsoft Excel or Copy to Google Drive simply to make it easier to get started. Natively the models are built in Google Sheets, and the formatting is a bit better in Google Sheets; in Excel you may want to adjust the row spacing, fonts, and chart formatting to get the aesthetics you want.
Yes! Email me anytime and I will try to respond as fast as I can. I have also spent a lot of time to build out the written and video documentation in the models and on the site, but I'm always happy to help. People say I provide good support, for what it's worth. Email support on how to use the models is free anytime, but I aso offer a 1 hour Get Started service which combines help on getting started using the model - walking through the inputs and struture with you on a phone call or screenshare, helping you set it up for your needs - and basic customization if necessary. If needed, I also do 50-100 custom models a year, for deeper custom requirements.
Yes. If you find that you need more or less detail or structure in your model, you can apply your purchase towards a more advanced model or downgrade to a simpler model for a partial refund on the difference (details at Help). The structures are fairly consistent so it's usually fairly easy to take any inputs from your existing Foresight model and use it in a more advanced model. It's a manual process for me to process an upgrade or downgrade, and I like to talk to you to make sure you get into the right model for what you want to accomplish, so simply contact me to learn more.
Yes! I'm happy to take a look at your existing model and offer advice on how you can improve on it, or help you add in features or edits you need. I usually focus on how to make models more flexible, accurate, structured, and transparent. More about Custom Models.
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Download to Microsoft Excel™ and Copy to Google Sheets™
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You will have the option to download a Microsoft Excel .xlsx file and copy a Google Sheet file immediately after purchase or submission or your email, and anytime through the link in your email receipt, as well as by logging into my transaction provider at Gumroad and creating an account.

Use in any recommended spreadsheet program.

Foresight's spreadsheet models can be used in both Excel and Google Sheets interchangeably; simply upload the Microsoft Excel model template from Foresight into Google Sheets, or download the Google Sheets to Excel, and everything will structurally work fine.

The models are originally built in Google Sheets, and the formatting is a bit better in Google Sheets; in Excel you may want to adjust the row spacing, fonts, and chart formatting to get the aesthetics you want.

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We accept credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The transmission of your billing information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL/TLS) and will be processed by Gumroad. Foresight does not have access to your payment details.

You'll get a payment receipt by email immediately after purchase. Note, you will see Gumroad, not Foresight, on your payment statement.

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