Publications
Publications
- April 2019
- HBS Case Collection
A Note on Boards in VC-Backed Ventures
Abstract
What is the value of a Board, and why does a company need one? The note documents the formal role of a Board of Directors as going beyond simply acting as legal representation of corporate ownership. Moreover, this role changes as the company moves through different stages of growth. The note discusses the structure and composition of a Board (Board Committees, Board Chair and Board Observers), along with best practices for managing the Board process (including what happens before and after each meeting, as well as the meeting itself). Entrepreneurs need to set foundations for Board composition, structure, compensation, and terms, early on in the company’s journey. Many of the qualitative insights in the note are collated from the collective experience of the authors.
Keywords
Founders; Business Startup; Board; Board Of Directors; Business Startups; Governing And Advisory Boards; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship
Citation
Ghosh, Shikhar, Ramana Nanda, Suraj Srinivasan, and Terrence Shu. "A Note on Boards in VC-Backed Ventures." Harvard Business School Technical Note 819-128, April 2019.
About The Authors
