Build Strong Cofounder Teams with Fair Equity Splits
I help startups build strong cofounder teams with clear agreements, fair equity splits, and expert founder mediation to resolve conflicts.
Meet Dr. Jana Nevrlka – Cofounding Expert, Author & Founder Mediator
Dr. Jana Nevrlka helps founders navigate the toughest part of building a startup: finding and keeping the right cofounder(s). Her proven 7-step Cofounding System - applied by thousands of founders worldwide - guides entrepreneurs through cofounder dating, defining roles, structuring fair equity splits, and creating strong cofounder agreements.
Author of Cofounding The Right Way and founder of Cofounding, she combines legal, business, and mediation expertise to give founders practical tools that prevent conflicts before they arise. Having lived the journey herself, Jana knows the pressures and pitfalls firsthand - and whether you’re building deeptech, web3, or B2C, the tools of early alignment help all. And if mistakes are made, her founder mediation supports teams to rebuild trust and protect their startup.
Equity Splits, Cofounder Agreements and Founder Mediation
Dr. Jana Nevrlka brings a rare combination of founder, legal, business, and mediation expertise. With a background in law, an executive MBA, accreditation as a CEDR mediator and a systemic team coaching, she bridges the worlds of business strategy, contracts, and team dynamics.
Having lived the founder journey herself with one successful exit and one failed startup, she knows the reality behind the theory. That’s why today, Jana supports cofounders globally, irrespective of where they are located, helping them design fair equity splits, align expectations, and resolve conflicts through founder mediation. She also provides practical founder tools - including cofounder agreements - templates with a dynamic equity focus - that equip startups to build resilient and investable teams from the start.
Find out what it takes to build a successful cofounding team
Apply the 7 steps to secure the best team possible
Enjoy peace of mind and focus on growing your business
Cofounding support
The lack of knowledge and the lack of support are the main challenges when it comes to building and setting cofounding teams.
BOOK
Cofounding shouldn't be left to chemistry. A practical roadmap to find your perfect cofounder match, split equity fairly, and build a team that lasts. The most frequent founder feedback? I wish I had read this earlier.
TOOLS & TEMPLATES
Start aligned and prevent founder fallouts. The practical templates you need to clarify commitment, define roles, split equity fairly, and document it all in cofounder agreement.
SERVICES
Latest Blog posts
This is why I do what I do… client testimonials
My clients are typically cofounders, investors, incubators, accelerators and universities. They know how powerful business partnerships are, but also that they require knowledge, attention and effort to make them work. They usually search for my expertise after they experienced difficulties in their previous or existing partnerships. They know that things could go wrong and want to prevent this situation in the future. Some of my clients understand that it’s cheaper to learn from the mistakes of others, and they come already at the start.
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Not Sure Where to Start?
Here are the questions I get daily - try the most popular free tools to get your answers.
how do I find the right cofounder? Finding a great cofounder isn’t luck - it’s structure. The Cofounder Specification Worksheet helps you define your ideal cofounder - so you know exactly who to look for before you start your search.
how do I make sure my cofounder is the right one? The answer is - before you commit, test the fit. The Cofounder Dating Worksheet is the structured list to help you have the right conversations early — covering commitment, contributions, working style, motivation, and more. You’ll feel alignment or spot the red flags, long before offering equity or incorporation