About the Program

The CANDELP Startup Legal Lift Program is a curated legal support initiative designed to help promising early-stage startups establish a strong legal foundation for growth, fundraising, and scale.

The Program delivers structured and time-bound legal support to a select cohort of startups, with a focus on long-term partnership, ecosystem credibility, and future conversion opportunities.

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Who is it for?

We prioritize startups that:

• Are at Pre-Seed to Series A stage (or demonstrate strong Seed-ready traction)
• Operate in Fintech, SaaS, HealthTech, AI/ML, Climate/Energy, Edtech, Agritech, Mobility, and similar innovation-led sectors
• Have at least two committed founders
• Have a functional MVP, pilots, or measurable traction
• Demonstrate credible funding potential or early investment readiness

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Valuation of support

Selected startups may receive structured legal support with an estimated commercial market value of up to $20,000, delivered within a defined scope and milestone framework.

This valuation reflects the typical professional fees associated with incorporation structuring, governance documentation, IP protection, early-stage investment documentation review, cap table structuring, and regulatory advisory required to prepare a startup for institutional capital and scalable growth.

Selected startups may receive legal support covering key early-stage essentials, including:

• Incorporation structuring and advisory
• Founders' agreement documentation
• NDA and confidentiality templates
• IP assignment and protection documentation
• Employment / consultant agreement suite (basic)
• Early-stage term sheet review
• SAFE / convertible note guidance
• Cap table review and structuring support
• Data privacy and regulatory advisory (where applicable)

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How selection works

This is a selective program, not a general legal clinic. Startups are assessed through a structured screening framework based on:

• Vision and scalability
• Founder capability and execution strength/Team
• Market opportunity
• Traction and product maturity
• Funding likelihood
• Legal complexity and strategic fit

All participating startups will execute formal documentation including:

• An engagement letter defining scope and limitations
• Milestone-based conversion options to paid engagements
• Right of first refusal for post-funding legal support
• Optional deferred fee or equity-based structures (for select startups)

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Why CANDELP is doing this

CANDELP supports startups because we understand that early legal structure determines long-term success. From incorporation to funding readiness, we partner with founders at critical growth stages, helping them avoid costly mistakes and unlock scalable opportunities.

Startup Lift is our way of backing visionaries with the legal strategy they need to win

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Timeline

Soft Launch: 24 – 28 February 2026

Public Launch / Applications Open: 2 - 30 March 2026

Application Link: https://bit.ly/3OvC9KD

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Contact/Referrals

Founders and ecosystem partners may reach out via:

Email: info@candelp.com

LinkedIn: @CANDELP