Equity Incentive Agreement Template for New Zealand

Create a bespoke document in minutes,  or upload and review your own.

4.6 / 5
4.8 / 5

Let's create your Equity Incentive Agreement

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get your first 2 documents free

Your data doesn't train Genie's AI

You keep IP ownership of your information

Key Requirements PROMPT example:

Equity Incentive Agreement

"I need an Equity Incentive Agreement for our New Zealand tech startup to grant stock options to our senior developers, with a four-year vesting schedule starting March 2025 and special provisions for remote workers in Australia."

Document background
This Equity Incentive Agreement is designed for use by New Zealand companies seeking to implement equity-based compensation programs for their employees, executives, or other eligible participants. It provides a structured framework for granting equity interests while ensuring compliance with New Zealand corporate, securities, and tax laws. The document is particularly valuable for companies aiming to attract and retain key talent, align employee interests with company growth, and create long-term incentives for performance. It includes essential provisions for vesting schedules, exercise procedures, transfer restrictions, and tax implications, while incorporating necessary safeguards for both the company and participants. The agreement can be customized based on the specific type of equity incentive being offered and the company's particular circumstances, while maintaining compliance with New Zealand regulatory requirements.
Suggested Sections

1. Parties: Identifies the company and the participant(s) entering into the agreement

2. Background: Sets out the context of the agreement and the company's intention to provide equity incentives

3. Definitions and Interpretation: Defines key terms and establishes interpretation principles

4. Grant of Equity Incentive: Details the specific type and amount of equity incentive being granted

5. Vesting Conditions: Specifies the vesting schedule and conditions that must be met

6. Exercise of Rights: Procedures and conditions for exercising equity incentives

7. Restrictions on Transfer: Limitations on transferring or disposing of the equity incentives

8. Termination Provisions: Consequences of employment termination on equity incentives

9. Tax Obligations: Addresses tax implications and responsibilities

10. Compliance with Laws: Ensures compliance with relevant securities and corporate laws

11. Confidentiality: Protects confidential information related to the agreement

12. General Provisions: Standard contractual terms including notices, amendments, and governing law

Optional Sections

1. Change of Control Provisions: Used when specific provisions are needed for company sale or merger scenarios

2. Clawback Provisions: Include when the company wants right to recoup incentives under certain circumstances

3. Good Leaver/Bad Leaver Provisions: Used to differentiate treatment of incentives based on circumstances of employment termination

4. Share Cap Provisions: Include when there's a need to limit the total number of shares available under the scheme

5. Market Standoff Agreement: Used for pre-IPO companies or when planning public offering

6. Tag-Along Rights: Include when participants should have right to join in sale of majority shareholding

7. Drag-Along Rights: Include when company wants right to force participants to join in company sale

Suggested Schedules

1. Schedule 1 - Grant Notice: Details of specific grant including number of shares/options and vesting schedule

2. Schedule 2 - Vesting Schedule: Detailed breakdown of vesting dates and conditions

3. Schedule 3 - Exercise Notice: Form for exercising equity incentives

4. Schedule 4 - Shareholders Agreement Deed of Accession: Form to become party to shareholders agreement upon exercise

5. Schedule 5 - Tax Summary: Summary of tax implications and treatment of equity incentives

6. Schedule 6 - Prohibited Jurisdictions: List of jurisdictions where equity incentives cannot be offered

7. Appendix A - Company Constitution Excerpts: Relevant sections of company constitution affecting equity incentives

Authors

Alex Denne

Head of Growth (Open Source Law) @ Genie AI | 3 x UCL-Certified in Contract Law & Drafting | 4+ Years Managing 1M+ Legal Documents | Serial Founder & Legal AI Author

Relevant legal definitions
Clauses
Relevant Industries

Technology

Financial Services

Professional Services

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Retail

Energy

Telecommunications

Biotechnology

Real Estate

Consumer Goods

Software Development

Consulting

E-commerce

Relevant Teams

Legal

Human Resources

Finance

Executive Leadership

Board of Directors

Corporate Governance

Compensation and Benefits

Corporate Secretary Office

Relevant Roles

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Human Resources Director

General Counsel

Company Secretary

Legal Counsel

HR Manager

Compensation Specialist

Finance Manager

Board Director

Chief Operating Officer

Department Head

Senior Manager

Executive Director

Vice President

Industries
Teams

Employer, Employee, Start Date, Job Title, Department, Location, Probationary Period, Notice Period, Salary, Overtime, Vacation Pay, Statutory Holidays, Benefits, Bonus, Expenses, Working Hours, Rest Breaks,  Leaves of Absence, Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, Non-Solicitation, Non-Competition, Code of Conduct, Termination,  Severance Pay, Governing Law, Entire Agreemen

Find the exact document you need

Shadow Equity Agreement

A New Zealand-compliant agreement granting synthetic equity rights that provide economic benefits of share ownership without actual share issuance.

find out more

Agreement For Future Equity

A New Zealand-governed investment agreement that provides rights to future equity in a company, commonly used for startup funding under NZ law.

find out more

Business Equity Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing terms for business equity investment, including share allocation, shareholder rights, and governance structures.

find out more

Equity Compensation Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement outlining terms for granting equity compensation to employees or contractors, including vesting conditions and regulatory compliance requirements.

find out more

Sweat Equity Contract

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing terms for services provided in exchange for company equity instead of monetary compensation.

find out more

Equity For Services Agreement

New Zealand-governed agreement for the provision of services in exchange for company equity, including service terms and equity compensation structure.

find out more

Equity Incentive Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement outlining terms for granting company equity incentives to employees or eligible participants, including vesting conditions and exercise rights.

find out more

Equity Release Agreement

A New Zealand-compliant agreement allowing homeowners to access property equity while retaining residency rights, with built-in consumer protections.

find out more

Phantom Equity Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing synthetic equity rights that mirror share value without transferring actual ownership.

find out more

Employee Equity Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing terms for employee equity ownership, including share grants, vesting conditions, and shareholder rights.

find out more

Private Equity Subscription Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement detailing terms and conditions for private equity investment through share subscription in a target company.

find out more

Equity Buyback Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement for a company to repurchase its own shares from existing shareholders, including terms, conditions, and regulatory requirements.

find out more

Equity Investment Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement setting out terms for equity investment in a company, including share issuance, investor rights, and company obligations.

find out more

Employee Stock Options Agreement

A New Zealand-compliant agreement outlining terms for granting company stock options to employees, including vesting conditions and exercise rights.

find out more

Download our whitepaper on the future of AI in Legal

By providing your email address you are consenting to our Privacy Notice.
Thank you for downloading our whitepaper. This should arrive in your inbox shortly. In the meantime, why not jump straight to a section that interests you here: https://www.genieai.co/our-research
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Genie’s Security Promise

Genie is the safest place to draft. Here’s how we prioritise your privacy and security.

Your documents are private:

We do not train on your data; Genie’s AI improves independently

All data stored on Genie is private to your organisation

Your documents are protected:

Your documents are protected by ultra-secure 256-bit encryption

Our bank-grade security infrastructure undergoes regular external audits

We are ISO27001 certified, so your data is secure

Organizational security

You retain IP ownership of your documents

You have full control over your data and who gets to see it

Innovation in privacy:

Genie partnered with the Computational Privacy Department at Imperial College London

Together, we ran a £1 million research project on privacy and anonymity in legal contracts

Want to know more?

Visit our Trust Centre for more details and real-time security updates.