Startups Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on startups for australian businesses.
Business Loan Security In Australia: How It Works
If you’re applying for finance to grow your business (or even just to smooth out cash flow), you’ll quickly hear the lender ask about “security”. That can feel intimidating - especially if...
26 February 2026
Start a Company in Australia: Legal Checklist for Founders
When you’re ready to start a company, it usually means you’re thinking bigger than a side project. You might be bringing on a co-founder, taking investment, signing larger clients, hiring staff, or...
26 February 2026
Registered Office Address Service: What It Is And Why Your Business Needs One
If you run a company in Australia (or you’re thinking about setting one up), you’ll quickly come across a requirement that sounds simple but can cause real headaches if you get it...
26 February 2026
What Is A Contingent Liability?
If you run a small business or startup, you’re probably used to tracking the “known” costs - payroll, rent, software subscriptions, inventory, tax, and so on. But some of the biggest risks...
25 February 2026
Trading Trusts In Australia: Pros, Cons And When To Use One
Choosing the right structure for your business is one of those “set it up right now so you don’t regret it later” decisions. If you’ve been hearing the term trading trust (often...
25 February 2026
Tag-Along Rights In Australia: A Guide For Founders And Investors
What Are Tag Along Rights (And When Do They Apply)? Tag along rights are contractual rights that allow minority shareholders to “tag along” in a sale of shares by a majority (or...
25 February 2026
Trademarks Act for Australian Startups and Small Businesses
If you’re building a startup or small business in Australia, your brand is often one of your most valuable assets. It’s what customers remember, search for, recommend to others and come back...
25 February 2026
ASIC Replaceable Rules vs Company Constitution: When to Use Each
Setting up a company is an exciting step for any small business owner. It can give you a clearer structure, help you bring in co-founders or investors, and (in many cases) protect...
25 February 2026
Deed Of Amendment: When To Amend Contracts And Shareholder Agreements
When you’re running a startup or small business, change is usually a good sign. It can mean new customers, new products, new team members, or investment that helps you scale. But growth...
25 February 2026
How To Be GDPR Compliant For Australian Businesses
If you run an Australian startup or small business, you might assume the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is “a European thing” and doesn’t apply to you. In reality, many Australian...
25 February 2026
End User License Agreement (EULA) Essentials For Australian Businesses
What Is An End User License Agreement (EULA)? An end user licence agreement (EULA) is a contract between your business (the software owner or licensor) and the person or business using your...
25 February 2026
Who Can Be a Company Director in Australia? Requirements and Rules
When you’re building a business, it’s natural to focus on product, sales and growth. But if you’re setting up (or already running) a company, one question comes up sooner than most founders...
25 February 2026
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...
23 February 2026
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