Design ESOP Schemes with Qapita
ESOP Advisory
Expert Equity Compensation Advisory Services for your business
Building your first equity program or refining a global strategy? We help design equity plans around your business, your stage, and your people.
Benefits of Qapita's equity compensation advisory
Plans built around your goals, not a template
We've helped early-stage founders, pre-IPO scaleups, and public companies design 1,000+ equity compensation plans, including equity compensation plans for private companies. Whether you want to drive ownership, manage dilution, or match the market, we pair expert plan design with equity compensation software. Built around your goals, not ours.
Equity isn't always the answer
We're equity experts, and we'll be the first to say when equity isn't the right tool. As part of our equity advisory, we help you weigh stock option compensation, cash, and phantom plans, and where each fits into your global compensation strategy by geography, role, and stage.
Global plans, future-proofed
Employee in India? Executive in Australia? Engineering hub in Eastern Europe? Our equity compensation advisory services help you navigate the legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory complexity of cross-border plans and decide who should get what, where, and how.
Equity compensation plan key features
Tailored Plan Design From the Ground Up
No templates. Just tailored strategy.
Every company is different, so your equity compensation plan should be too. We’ll help you size the pool, set vesting, and choose the right mix of equity-based compensation i.e ISO, NSO, RSUs, SARs or cash-based alternatives based on your cap table, budget, and hiring plan. Whether you’re designing a compensation plan for the first time or refreshing a legacy one, we’ll make sure it’s built to last.
Support every step of the way, including the paperwork
We don’t stop at design. We draft board and shareholder resolutions, model cap table impact, and support stakeholder communications. Whether you need a one pager for your board deck or a 40-page equity compensation plan reviewed in different jurisdictions, we’re with you from start to finish.
Start with ‘Why,’ then design the ‘How’
What’s your goal? Ownership for all, focused retention, minimising dilution, or managing P&L? We’ll translate your reward philosophy into a practical equity compensation plan with the right instruments (stock option compensation, RSUs, SARs), clear sizing logic, and a rollout model that fits your team.
Global Readiness, Built In
Equity doesn’t work the same everywhere. As part of your global compensation strategy, we help you decide where to offer stock, when to use alternatives like phantom units, and how to manage tax, payroll, and exchange controls across jurisdictions. Whether you’re creating sub-plans or navigating exemptions, we’ve done it.
Compliance without surprises
From IRC 409A and ISO/NSO rules to IFRS 2 and ASC 718, we help you see how your equity compensation plan will affect tax, accounting, and reporting. We plan for recharge structures, tax withholding, and local filings so you are not fixing issues later. Whether you have one entity or twenty, we build a structure that works now and holds up over time.
Education for You and Your Team
We support equity education across the lifecycle, from founder and HR workshops to employee tax guides in 160+ countries. We demystify stock option compensation, RSUs, and other equity-based compensation, explaining grant mechanics, taxes, and long-term value in clear language that builds trust and alignment, not confusion.
How it works
From strategy to rollout, guided every step of the way
A structured process that turns your equity compensation strategy into a compliant, ready-to-launch plan.
Design your equity compensation plan
We assess your cap table, stage, and goals to size the pool, set vesting, and choose the right instruments: ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, SARs, or cash alternatives.Get it approved and documented
We draft board and shareholder resolutions, model cap table impact, and prepare the paperwork, from a one-pager to a full plan reviewed across jurisdictions.Roll out and stay compliant
We support employee communication, manage tax and accounting considerations (ASC 718, 409A, IFRS 2), and keep the plan holding up as you scale or expand globally.
FAQs
What is equity compensation advisory?
Equity compensation advisory is expert guidance on designing, structuring, and managing equity-based pay: stock options, RSUs, phantom units, and more. Instead of copying a template, you get a plan built around your cap table, stage, and goals, backed by equity compensation software to manage it.
Why do startups need equity compensation advisory?
Equity compensation advisory helps startups design stock option plans, phantom stocks, and other equity-based rewards that align with company goals, attract talent, and meet legal and tax requirements across jurisdictions. Without expert input, plans often become costly to fix later wrong pool size, unclear vesting, or compliance gaps.
What is the difference between equity compensation and stock options?
Equity compensation is the broader category, any ownership-based reward, including stock options, RSUs, SARs, and phantom equity. Stock options are one specific instrument within it: the right to buy shares at a fixed price after vesting.
How can Qapita help design equity plans for global teams?
Yes. We help navigate cross-border tax, payroll, and regulatory rules, advise on alternatives like phantom equity where stock options don't work, and manage filings across 60+ countries.
Can Qapita help communicate the equity plan to employees?
Yes. We run employee townhalls, onboarding sessions, and provide plain-language guides so your team understands the real value of their equity, not just the paperwork behind it.