Sign in
Diligence & Terms

Board Seat

A position on the board that governs the company

What it is

A board seat is a position on a company's board of directors, the small group that oversees the company and makes its biggest decisions (hiring or firing the CEO, approving budgets, green-lighting a sale). Lead investors usually negotiate a board seat as part of a priced round. Board composition determines who ultimately controls the company.

Why it matters

Whoever controls the board controls the company's fate at key moments. Founders watch board composition closely because losing board control can mean losing the company even while still owning a big chunk of it.

Resources