Startups Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on startups for australian businesses.
First And Last Rights Of Refusal For Australian Startups And SMEs
When you’re building a startup or small business, you’ll often find yourself balancing two goals at once: keeping momentum (moving fast) and managing risk (protecting what you’ve built). A right of refusal...
25 February 2026
Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM): When And How To Call One
Running a startup or small business usually means you’re focused on product, customers and growth. But there are moments where you have to pause and deal with the “company governance” side of...
25 February 2026
Can I Use My Personal Bank Account for Business? Legal and Tax Risks in Australia
If you’re starting (or growing) a small business in Australia, it’s very common to ask whether you can use a personal bank account for business. Maybe you’re just testing an idea, doing...
25 February 2026
How Much Should a Company Director Be Paid in Australia?
As a small business owner, it’s completely normal to ask how much you should pay yourself as a company director. On one hand, you want director pay that reflects the work you’re...
25 February 2026
De Facto Director: Meaning Under the Corporations Act and Key Risks
When you’re building a startup or running a small business, it’s common for roles to blur. You might have an investor who “just helps out”, a founder who stepped back from the...
24 February 2026
Can’t Find My ABN? How To Look It Up And Fix Common Issues
Realising you can’t find your ABN is one of those admin moments that can stop your day in its tracks. Maybe you’re about to invoice a new client, sign up to a...
24 February 2026
Business Structures In Australia: Choosing The Right One
Choosing between the different types of business structures is one of the first “big” decisions you’ll make as a founder. It’s also one of the decisions that can be surprisingly hard to...
24 February 2026
SaaS Agreement Essentials For Australian Startups: Key Contract Terms
If you’re building (or scaling) a Software as a Service product, your legal foundations matter just as much as your codebase. Your pricing can evolve, your features can change, and your customer...
24 February 2026
TM Vs ®: What Trademark Symbols Mean In Australia
If you’re building a brand, you’ve probably seen the little symbols sitting next to business names and logos - TM and ® . They look simple, but they can carry real legal...
24 February 2026
What Does Patent Pending Mean?
If you’re building something new - a product, device, manufacturing process, or even a clever way of doing things - you’ve probably seen the words “patent pending” stamped on packaging, websites, or...
24 February 2026
SAFE Note Meaning: How It Works For Australian Startups
Raising early-stage funding is exciting - but it can also feel like you’re learning a whole new language overnight. Term sheets, valuations, dilution, cap tables… and then someone mentions a “SAFE”. If...
24 February 2026
What Is A Joint Venture?
If you’ve ever thought, “We could move faster if we teamed up with the right partner,” you’re already thinking in joint venture terms. A joint venture (often shortened to “JV”) can be...
24 February 2026
Class A Shares: Voting Rights, Dividends And When Startups Should Issue Them
If you’re building an Australian startup and thinking about raising money, rewarding early supporters, or setting up a structure that lets you stay in control as you grow, you’ve probably come across...
24 February 2026
Trademark Monitoring In Australia: How Startups Can Protect Their Brand
When you’re building a startup or small business, your brand can quickly become one of your most valuable assets. You might spend months choosing a name, designing a logo, launching your website,...
24 February 2026
Commercial Leases: What Australian Businesses Need To Know
Signing a commercial lease is one of the biggest “make or break” moments for many Australian small businesses. It’s exciting because it often means you’re moving from planning into action - opening...
24 February 2026
Mergers And Acquisitions: What Startups And Small Businesses Need To Know
Mergers and acquisitions (often shortened to “M&A”) can feel like something that only happens to big corporates. But if you’re running a startup or small business in Australia, M&A can be a...
23 February 2026
Domain Name Ownership: What Australian Businesses Need To Know
If you’re building a startup or small business, your domain name can quickly become one of your most valuable digital assets. It’s the address customers type into their browser, the domain on...
23 February 2026
Model Release Form Essentials: What To Include And Why
If you’re a small business owner or startup founder, chances are you’re creating content all the time - website banners, social media ads, product photos, explainer videos, staff headshots, testimonials and event...
23 February 2026
How To Choose The Right Crowdfunding Platform For Your Startup
Crowdfunding can be an exciting way to launch a product, validate demand, and raise money without going through traditional funding channels. But for many Australian startups and small businesses, the hardest part...
23 February 2026
Fixed Term Contract Template In Australia: Employer Guide
Hiring your first few employees (or scaling from 5 to 25) is exciting - but it’s also where a lot of small businesses run into avoidable risk. A fixed term arrangement can...
23 February 2026
Why Risk Assessments Matter for Startups and Small Businesses
When you’re building a small business or startup, it’s easy to focus on the exciting parts - launching your product, winning customers, hiring your first team members, and (hopefully) growing quickly. But...
23 February 2026
Secured Creditors: What Small Businesses And Startups Need To Know
If you’re running a small business or scaling a startup, it’s normal to focus on growth first: winning customers, shipping product, hiring staff, and keeping cash flow steady. But when money gets...
23 February 2026
Legal Retainers Explained: What Small Businesses Should Know
If you’re running a small business, you’ve probably had at least one moment where a legal issue pops up “out of nowhere” - a customer dispute, a supplier not delivering, a contractor...
23 February 2026
Practical Legal Solutions For Startups And Growing Businesses
Starting (or scaling) a business in Australia is exciting - but it can also feel like you’re making dozens of high-stakes decisions at once. You’re building a product, talking to customers, hiring...
22 February 2026
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