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This is a naive question but if you've got a funded startup, you're not the owner are you?

When you take funding, you may (or may not) give away part of your ownership stake (aka equity). As long as you maintain more than 50% ownership, you're still the owner... because you have the ability to make a "majority" decision by yourself. So, I'm still the owner, but that may not always be the case (eg. if we take more funding).

> * As long as you maintain more than 50% ownership, you're still the owner*

Maybe pedantic, but here goes: If you have given away so much as a single share, the usual phraseology is that you are "part-owner", because you own only a part. Saying "The owner" implies there is only one, which is false.

If you declare to the other shareholder that you are the owner, you might find an interesting reaction.

That's a good point, I suppose. Though, a convertible note structure prevents any dilution at all until subsequent funding happens... but that's getting even more pedantic of me ;)

LOL, fair enough. If we're talking about where the term "owner" fits in the capital structure, then we're well into the realm of pedantic.

Good luck.

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