Step 1: Create your Mantle account

1. Go to equity.withmantle.com/login

2. Sign in with your work email, Google, or Microsoft account

3. Click the secure login link sent to your inbox

4. Agree to Mantle’s Terms & Conditions

That’s it, you’re in!

Step 2: Create a Share Class

Once your company is set up in Mantle, the next step is to define your equity structure by creating share classes. This guide walks you through creating your first share class from scratch.

1. Navigate to Share Classes

   • From the left-hand menu, go to Cap Table → Share Classes.

   • Click Add Share Class to launch the share class creation modal.

2. Fill out share class details

   • You’ll be prompted to enter the following details:

     • Share Class Type: Select either "Common" or "Preferred"

     • Share Class Name: For example, Common Stock

     • Prefix: Used for security IDs, e.g., CS

     • Voting Multiplier: Typically 1 for common stock

     • Original Issue Price (optional)

     • Par Value: Commonly set to $0.0001 or $0.001

     • Seniority (optional for Preferred)

     • Liquidation Preference Multiplier (optional for Preferred)

   • After filling in the form, click Create.

3. Add authorized share count

   • Once the share class appears in the table, click the cell under the "Authorized Share Counts" column.

   • Enter the total number of authorized shares, such as 10,000,000.

   • Click Update to save the change.

4. Confirmation

   • You will see a confirmation banner: "Share Class Revision Changes Saved"

   • Your new share class is now ready to be used to issue shares and build out your cap table.

   • You can repeat these steps for additional share classes, such as other Common subclasses.

Step 3: Issuing a Share Grant

After you've set up your company and created share classes, the next step is to issue shares to stakeholders. This guide walks you through how to create and publish a new share grant.

1. Start a new share draft

   • Navigate to Securities → Shares

   • Click + New Draft

2. Enter shareholder information

   In the draft editor:

   • Select the Stakeholder

   • Choose the Stakeholder Relationship

3. Complete share issuance details

   • Share Class: Select the appropriate class (e.g., Common Stock)

   • Share Prefix and Certificate ID: Auto-filled based on class

   • Number of Shares: Enter amount (e.g., 500,000)

   • Price per Share: Commonly $0.001

   • Cash Paid and Debt Cancelled: Optional fields

4. Apply vesting schedule (if applicable)

   Under the Vesting section:

   • Choose a Vesting Schedule from the dropdown

   • Set the Vesting Start Date

5. Set the board approval and share status

   Enter the Board Approval Date

   • Set Share Status to Outstanding

   • Set the Issue Date

   Click Save when you’re done.

6. Review and publish

   Return to the draft table. You should see your draft marked Ready to Publish.

   • Select the draft row

   • Click Review

   • Confirm issuance details

   • Click Issue New Shares

7. Confirmation

   Once issued, the share appears in your active shares list.

   You can also view the issuance in the Timeline View and updated Cap Table.

Step 4: Creating an Equity Incentive Plan

To begin issuing stock options to team members, you'll need to first create an Equity Incentive Plan (EIP). This plan defines the pool of option grants, share class linkage, and standard exercise terms. Follow the steps below to set up your first EIP.

1. Navigate to Equity Plans

   • Go to Cap Table → Equity Plans

   • Click Add Equity Plan

2. Fill in plan details

   Provide the following information:

   • Equity Plan Name: e.g., 2025 Equity Plan

   • Prefix: e.g., EP

   • Total Reserved Shares: e.g., 1,000,000

   • Share Classes: Select the class the options will convert into (e.g., Common Stock)

   • Effective Date: The plan’s activation date

   • Shareholder Approval Date: The date the plan was formally approved

   • You may also enable on-platform exercising if desired.

   • Click Next to proceed to exercise terms.

3. Define exercise terms

   • Under the Exercise Terms tab:

     • Grant Expiration: Set duration (e.g., 10 years)

     • Choose if expiration is relative to Grant Date

     • Define Post-Termination Exercise Periods for various scenarios:

       • Voluntary

       • Voluntary Good Cause

       • Involuntary

       • With Cause

       • Retirement

       • Disability

   • Each period is typically 3 months unless specified otherwise.

   • Click Save to complete the plan setup.

4. Review in the Equity Plans table

   Once saved, your plan will appear in the Equity Plans list with:

   • Plan Name

   • Reserved Shares

   • Available Shares

   • FD Ownership impact

5. Cap table update

   Return to Cap Table to confirm the plan is reflected:

   • The new plan will appear as a separate line under equity classes

   • Option pool availability will be visualized in the fully diluted bar

   • Authorized shares remain unchanged until options are exercised

Your Equity Plan is now ready to be used for granting options to employees and other stakeholders.

Step 5: Issuing an Option Grant

After setting up an Equity Incentive Plan, you can grant options to employees, advisors, and other stakeholders. This guide walks you through drafting and issuing a new option grant.

1. Navigate to Option Grants

   • Go to Securities → Options

   • Click Draft Options to begin.

   • Then click + Add Option Grant.

2. Create a stakeholder

   • If the grantee is not in your stakeholder list already, type their name and click + Create "[Name]" to add them.

3. Enter Option Grant Details

   Complete the required fields:

   • Equity Plan: Select the plan the options belong to (e.g., 2025 Equity Plan)

   • Share Class: Choose the share class these options convert into (e.g., Common Stock)

   • Option Prefix and Option Grant ID: Auto-filled by system

   • Grant Quantity: Total number of options granted (e.g., 40,000)

   • Exercise Price: Typically set to fair market value (e.g., $0.10)

   • Option Type: Select either ISO or NSO

4. Apply Vesting Terms

   Under the Vesting section:

   • Choose a Vesting Schedule (e.g., 25% 1 yr cliff, 1/48 monthly)

   • Set the Vesting Start Date

   • Optionally, enable Allow Early Exercises

5. Set Approval

   • Enter the Board Approval Date that authorized the grant.

   • Click Create Draft to save the grant.

6. Reviews and Publish

   After creating the draft, return to the Draft Option Grants table.

   • Select the draft grant(s)

   • Click Review

   • Confirm details

   • Publish to finalize the issuance

7. Verify the Cap Table

   Go to Cap Table to confirm:

   • The option grant is reflected under your Equity Plan

   • Options Outstanding is updated

   • Fully Diluted view reflects the grant accordingly

The option grant is now officially issued and will appear in reports and stakeholder ownership records.

Step 6: Recording a SAFE Issuance

Use this workflow to draft and publish a SAFE in Mantle. This process ensures the convertible instrument is properly tracked on your cap table and associated with the relevant stakeholder.

1. Navigate to SAFEs

   • Go to Securities → SAFEs

   • Click Draft SAFEs

   • Click + Add SAFE Draft to begin

2. Create a Stakeholder

   • If the investor is not already in the system, enter the name (e.g., Super Fund IV LLC)

   • Select Create "[Stakeholder Name]"

3. Enter SAFE Details

   Fill in the key fields:

   • SAFE Prefix and SAFE Number: Auto-filled or customized

   • Conversion Timing: Choose either Pre-Money or Post-Money

   • Purchase Amount: Total invested (e.g., $650,000)

   • Valuation Cap: (e.g., $25,000,000)

   • Discount Rate: Optional, expressed as percentage

   • Most Favored Nation: Optional checkbox if MFN clause applies

4. Approval and Issuance

   • Board Approval Date: Set the date of board authorization

   • SAFE Status: Set to Outstanding

   • Issue Date: Record the effective date of the SAFE

   • Click Create Draft to save.

5. Review and Publish

   • Return to the Draft SAFEs table

   • Select the draft

   • Click Review

   • Confirm investment details

   • Click Confirm to publish the SAFE

6. Verify the Cap Table

   • Go to Cap Table → Today

   • Under the Convertibles section, you will see:

     • The SAFE holder listed

     • The total outstanding purchase amount reflected in USD

     • Post-money SAFE classification and aggregate totals

The SAFE is now recorded and factored into the fully diluted cap table calculations.

Step 7: Modeling a Financing Round with Mantle’s Pro Forma Tool

Mantle’s Pro Forma tool allows you to simulate the impact of a financing round on your cap table. You can adjust assumptions like pre/post-money valuation, SAFE conversion, and option pool refresh, then preview dilution and ownership changes.

1. Launch the Term Sheet Modeler

   • From your Cap Table view, click the Term Sheet Modeler button in the top right corner.

2. Set Round Assumptions

   On the Scenario tab, enter the following details:

   • Round Amount: e.g., $5,000,000

   • Valuation (Pre-Money): e.g., $20,000,000

   • Valuation (Post-Money): Auto-calculated or manually entered (e.g., $25,000,000)

   • Round Percentage: e.g., 20%

   • Round Date: Set the expected closing date

   • Option Pool Size: Set the desired post-round unallocated option pool (e.g., 20%)

3. Add SAFEs

   If you have outstanding SAFEs:

   • Scroll down to the SAFEs section

   • Click + Add SAFE and input the terms for each:

     • Holder

     • Conversion Timing (Pre-Money or Post-Money)

     • Principal

     • Valuation Cap

     • Discount Rate (if applicable)

   These will be included in the conversion modeling.

4. Review the Pro Forma Cap Table

   Switch to the Pro Forma tab to view the impact of the round:

   • Breakdown of FD Share Count and Ownership % by stakeholder class:

     • Round Investors

     • Equity Top Up

     • Converted SAFEs

     • Common Stock

     • Equity Plan Options

   • Visual bar showing relative ownership

   • Summary of total fully diluted shares and ownership shifts

This tool provides a powerful way to analyze dilution, negotiate term sheets, and prepare for board discussions with real-time impact analysis.

Step 8: Managing Admin Access

You can add internal administrators or external collaborators, such as law firms, to your Mantle workspace. This guide outlines how to invite new users and assign the appropriate level of access.

1. Navigate to Admin Access

   • Go to Company → Admin Access

     • You will see the list of existing team members and their access levels.

   • Click Add member to begin inviting a new user.

2. Add a New Member

   In the Add member modal:

   • Enter the user's email address

   • Specify their Role/Title (e.g., administrator, HR, counsel)

   • Select the Access Level from the dropdown:

     • Full access – Can view and modify all company data

     • Edit access – Can view and edit with some restrictions

     • View-only access – Can view information but cannot make changes

   Click Add member to send the invitation.

   The member will appear in the table with a "Pending" status until they accept the invite.

3. Inviting Law Firms

   To associate a law firm with your company:

   1. Invite an individual from the law firm using the Add member flow.

   2. Once added, they can be classified as a legal advisor under the Law firms & Support tab.

   This enables collaboration for cap table validation, document review, and legal workflows.

With granular access controls, you can safely share your cap table and legal data with the right stakeholders.