First Contractor

Not an employee — but the IP rules are identical.

Every contractor who touches your codebase, designs, or data needs a written agreement with a present-tense IP assignment. Work-for-hire alone isn't enough for software. And misclassification is the #1 issue investors find at Series A.

• Written contractor agreement in place before work begins
• Agreement uses 'hereby assigns' — not 'agrees to assign'
• IP assignment is not contingent on payment
• Verify contractor has no conflicting IP obligations
• International contractors: check local classification rules