An overview of the $5K investment

The Investment Agreement at the $5,000 level was designed specifically to enable Start Garden to invest very quickly, with as little paperwork as possible on both sides. If Start Garden invests in your project at higher levels, those investment agreements are different and become more traditional investments.

We recognize this investment agreement is unusual. It's our prototype of an agreement that has as few strings attached as possible, but still maintains an investor relationship if your idea becomes a huge success.

If you fail, it's a gift. If you succeed, it's a contract.

Start Garden does not take ownership in intellectual property of your idea at the $5,000 level. It contains options so we can remain investors if your idea becomes a successful business.

What happens in the immediate future?

To release an investment, we'll help you set up a Michigan LLC (limited liability company) if you're selected at the $5,000 level.

The person who submitted the idea is required to give an update, in person, at a public Start Garden event within 60-90 days of receiving the investment.

If your idea does not take off, you are not obligated to pay back the $5,000.

What happens in the not so distant future?

We hope it makes sense for us to continue to invest at the $20,000 level, $50,000 level, and so on. If we both agree that's the next step, a new agreement at a higher level cancels out the agreement at the lower level.

If you don't come to us for any investment beyond the $5,000, that's okay. If you turn your idea into a successful business and seek a round of outside investment in the future, we ask for the right to invest up to 50% of the amount you seek, or simply convert our $5,000 into the terms of that next round of funding.

View Single Member Agreement 

View Multiple Member Agreement