Legal That Works - great legal service for businesses in Malaysia

Fundraising: Raise Capital Without Giving Up Control

Every round changes who has a say in your company. We help you negotiate terms that bring in capital without quietly signing away your future.

Legal That Works - great legal service for businesses in Malaysia
Legal That Works logo

Fundraising: Raise Capital Without Giving Up Control

Every round changes who has a say in your company. We help you negotiate terms that bring in capital without quietly signing away your future.

Why Fundraising Terms Matter

Raising capital feels like a milestone, but the terms you agree to in the excitement of a term sheet can shape your company for years. Unclear liquidation preferences, messy cap tables, or vague investor rights don't just create legal risk, they can cost founders control of the business they built. Whether you're closing a seed round or negotiating a Series A, the details matter as much as the amount raised. You're here because you want capital on terms you can live with, not regret later.

Raising capital feels like a milestone, but the terms you agree to in the excitement of a term sheet can shape your company for years. Unclear liquidation preferences, messy cap tables, or vague investor rights don't just create legal risk, they can cost founders control of the business they built. Whether you're closing a seed round or negotiating a Series A, the details matter as much as the amount raised. You're here because you want capital on terms you can live with, not regret later.

How We Help Founders Raise Smart

Fundraising support that protects your equity.

We do more than review term sheets. We negotiate investor agreements, clean up cap tables before they become a diligence problem, and help you understand exactly what you’re agreeing to before you sign. From pre-seed to growth rounds, we guide you through every stage of the raise. Capital should fuel your company, not cost you control of it.

Choose the Service That Fits

Select your solution and take the next step.

Pick the fundraising service that fits your next move. Below is the full list, each designed to give you clarity, protection, and leverage.

Bursa LEAP Market Listing Advisory

Business Legal Consultation

Call Option and Put Option Agreement

Cap Table and Equity Structuring Advisory

Convertible Note and SAFE Documentation

Customised Agreement Drafting

Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOS) Documentation

Equity Crowdfunding and P2P Platform Compliance

Investment and Subscription Agreement

Investor Readiness Legal Audit

Learn More Before You Raise

Articles to help you negotiate, structure, and close your round with confidence.

Looking for insight before you raise? The articles below cover key trends, risks, and how-tos in Malaysian fundraising practice. They are here to help you make smarter, safer decisions, faster.

Article

Breach of Contract

One contract slip can stall millions in deals. Discover how top CEOs spot breaches early, enforce rights, and keep business moving.

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Article

Breach of Contract

One contract slip can stall millions in deals. Discover how top CEOs spot breaches early, enforce rights, and keep business moving.

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Article

Bursa LEAP Market Listing for Malaysian SMEs: What to Prepare Before Filing

What Malaysian SMEs must have ready — corporate records, governance, shareholding history — before applying to Bursa Malaysia's LEAP Market.

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Article

Bursa LEAP Market Listing for Malaysian SMEs: What to Prepare Before Filing

What Malaysian SMEs must have ready — corporate records, governance, shareholding history — before applying to Bursa Malaysia's LEAP Market.

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Article

Business Acquisition Documents Malaysia: Complete CEO Guide for 2025

Thinking of acquiring a business? The right documents can make or break your deal. Protect your position and avoid hidden risks—discover what top CEOs know before they act.

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Business Acquisition Documents Malaysia: Complete CEO Guide for 2025

Thinking of acquiring a business? The right documents can make or break your deal. Protect your position and avoid hidden risks—discover what top CEOs know before they act.

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Article

Call Option and Put Option Agreements in Malaysia: Locking a Future Exit or Buy-In Before Signing

How call and put options work in a Malaysian shareholders' or JV agreement, what makes the price clause enforceable, and what happens once someone exercises.

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Call Option and Put Option Agreements in Malaysia: Locking a Future Exit or Buy-In Before Signing

How call and put options work in a Malaysian shareholders' or JV agreement, what makes the price clause enforceable, and what happens once someone exercises.

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Article

Cap Table Structuring for Malaysian Startups

How a Malaysian startup cap table actually works: pre/post-money dilution, option pool sizing, and the Companies Act steps behind every entry.

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Cap Table Structuring for Malaysian Startups

How a Malaysian startup cap table actually works: pre/post-money dilution, option pool sizing, and the Companies Act steps behind every entry.

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Article

Company Share Cap Table

What a cap table records, why it decides your next funding round, and the Malaysian documents that must agree with it before an investor looks.

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Article

Company Share Cap Table

What a cap table records, why it decides your next funding round, and the Malaysian documents that must agree with it before an investor looks.

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Article

Contract Termination

Terminate contracts fast, without legal missteps or costly fallout. Learn the strategies CEOs use to exit deals safely and protect growth.

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Article

Contract Termination

Terminate contracts fast, without legal missteps or costly fallout. Learn the strategies CEOs use to exit deals safely and protect growth.

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Article

Customised Agreement Drafting: When a Template Fails and a Business Needs a Bespoke Contract

When templates fail, what custom contract drafting costs in Malaysia, and what a badly drafted agreement risks under the Contracts Act 1950.

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Article

Customised Agreement Drafting: When a Template Fails and a Business Needs a Bespoke Contract

When templates fail, what custom contract drafting costs in Malaysia, and what a badly drafted agreement risks under the Contracts Act 1950.

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Article

ECF Fundraising in Malaysia: Step by Step

Unlock millions, build your brand, keep control. See how top founders use equity crowdfunding to fund growth on their terms.

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ECF Fundraising in Malaysia: Step by Step

Unlock millions, build your brand, keep control. See how top founders use equity crowdfunding to fund growth on their terms.

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Article

Employee Share Option Schemes in Malaysia: How to Structure ESOS Without Diluting Control Too Early

How Malaysian companies structure an Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOS) under the Companies Act 2016: issuance, vesting, tax and exit treatment.

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Employee Share Option Schemes in Malaysia: How to Structure ESOS Without Diluting Control Too Early

How Malaysian companies structure an Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOS) under the Companies Act 2016: issuance, vesting, tax and exit treatment.

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Article

Equity Crowdfunding Compliance in Malaysia

What a Malaysian ECF issuer must do after the raise closes: Companies Act deadlines, the 50-shareholder cap, ongoing SC duties and the RM20m lifetime limit.

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Equity Crowdfunding Compliance in Malaysia

What a Malaysian ECF issuer must do after the raise closes: Companies Act deadlines, the 50-shareholder cap, ongoing SC duties and the RM20m lifetime limit.

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Article

Equity Fundraising vs Equity Financing

Equity fundraising and equity financing are not the same thing. The difference, the types of equity involved, and which one your business needs.

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Article

Equity Fundraising vs Equity Financing

Equity fundraising and equity financing are not the same thing. The difference, the types of equity involved, and which one your business needs.

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Article

Fundraising Lawyer - Why Do You Need Them?

What a fundraising lawyer actually does in a Malaysian raise, which steps carry real legal risk, and when to bring one in before terms are agreed.

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Fundraising Lawyer - Why Do You Need Them?

What a fundraising lawyer actually does in a Malaysian raise, which steps carry real legal risk, and when to bring one in before terms are agreed.

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Article

Fundraising Steps For Founders

The fundraising process step by step for Malaysian founders: internal preparation, scouting investors, letter of intent, due diligence and closing.

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Fundraising Steps For Founders

The fundraising process step by step for Malaysian founders: internal preparation, scouting investors, letter of intent, due diligence and closing.

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Article

How to Amend and Update Your Shareholders Agreement in Malaysia

This article is for Malaysian business owners seeking to amend their shareholders agreement. It explains when and why to update, how to follow the legal process, and the risks of outdated agreements.

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Article

How to Amend and Update Your Shareholders Agreement in Malaysia

This article is for Malaysian business owners seeking to amend their shareholders agreement. It explains when and why to update, how to follow the legal process, and the risks of outdated agreements.

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Article

Investment and Subscription Agreements in Malaysia

How a subscription agreement differs from a shareholders agreement in Malaysia — price, warranties, conditions precedent, and share allotment steps.

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Article

Investment and Subscription Agreements in Malaysia

How a subscription agreement differs from a shareholders agreement in Malaysia — price, warranties, conditions precedent, and share allotment steps.

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Article

Investor Readiness Legal Audit: What a Malaysian Startup Must Fix Before a Term Sheet

What a Malaysian startup's investor readiness audit checks before a raise: cap table, IP ownership, option pool and data exposure, and what each costs later.

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Article

Investor Readiness Legal Audit: What a Malaysian Startup Must Fix Before a Term Sheet

What a Malaysian startup's investor readiness audit checks before a raise: cap table, IP ownership, option pool and data exposure, and what each costs later.

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Article

Is a Shareholders Agreement Legally Binding in Malaysia?

This article explains the legality of shareholders agreement in Malaysia to Malaysian business owner.

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Article

Is a Shareholders Agreement Legally Binding in Malaysia?

This article explains the legality of shareholders agreement in Malaysia to Malaysian business owner.

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Article

Is a shareholders agreement necessary in Malaysia?

A shareholders agreement is not required by Malaysian law. Here is when it becomes necessary anyway, what it must cover, and why templates fail.

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Article

Is a shareholders agreement necessary in Malaysia?

A shareholders agreement is not required by Malaysian law. Here is when it becomes necessary anyway, what it must cover, and why templates fail.

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Article

Key Features and Common Clauses in a Shareholders Agreement

This article explains what a Malaysian shareholders agreement covers—key clauses, legal compliance, customization needs, amendment trends, critical protections, reserved matters, and how it ties to the cap table.

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Article

Key Features and Common Clauses in a Shareholders Agreement

This article explains what a Malaysian shareholders agreement covers—key clauses, legal compliance, customization needs, amendment trends, critical protections, reserved matters, and how it ties to the cap table.

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Article

Legal Due Diligence for Institutional Investors

What legal due diligence for institutional investors in Malaysia must cover before an investment committee signs off on a deal.

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Article

Legal Due Diligence for Institutional Investors

What legal due diligence for institutional investors in Malaysia must cover before an investment committee signs off on a deal.

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Article

Legal Support for Pre-Funding Startups: Why a Counsel Programme Beats a Full Retainer Too Early

What a Malaysian startup needs before its first round: founder vesting, IP assignment and reusable contracts, and why a full retainer is usually too early.

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Legal Support for Pre-Funding Startups: Why a Counsel Programme Beats a Full Retainer Too Early

What a Malaysian startup needs before its first round: founder vesting, IP assignment and reusable contracts, and why a full retainer is usually too early.

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Article

Navigating Share Transfers and Share Transmissions

How a share transfer differs from a transmission in Malaysia, the Companies Act 2016 steps, the forms and board approvals, and the costs to budget.

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Article

Navigating Share Transfers and Share Transmissions

How a share transfer differs from a transmission in Malaysia, the Companies Act 2016 steps, the forms and board approvals, and the costs to budget.

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Article

Preference Share Subscription Agreements in Malaysia: Rights, Priority and Conversion Before You Issue

What rights, priority, redemption and conversion terms a Malaysian preference share subscription agreement must lock down under the Companies Act 2016.

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Article

Preference Share Subscription Agreements in Malaysia: Rights, Priority and Conversion Before You Issue

What rights, priority, redemption and conversion terms a Malaysian preference share subscription agreement must lock down under the Companies Act 2016.

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Article

Reviewing a Term Sheet Before You Sign: What Malaysian Founders and Buyers Must Check

A Malaysian term sheet is rarely as non-binding as it looks. What founders and buyers must check before signing: valuation, liquidation preference, ROFR.

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Article

Reviewing a Term Sheet Before You Sign: What Malaysian Founders and Buyers Must Check

A Malaysian term sheet is rarely as non-binding as it looks. What founders and buyers must check before signing: valuation, liquidation preference, ROFR.

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Article

Share Allotment vs Share Transfer in Malaysia

Allotting new shares and transferring existing ones follow different Companies Act 2016 processes, forms and deadlines. Here is what each actually requires.

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Article

Share Allotment vs Share Transfer in Malaysia

Allotting new shares and transferring existing ones follow different Companies Act 2016 processes, forms and deadlines. Here is what each actually requires.

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Article

Share Transfer Stamp Duty For Private Company

One missed stamp duty step can cost you ownership and delay deals. Discover how top CEOs transfer shares smoothly and stay compliant.

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Article

Share Transfer Stamp Duty For Private Company

One missed stamp duty step can cost you ownership and delay deals. Discover how top CEOs transfer shares smoothly and stay compliant.

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Article

Shareholder Agreement for Private Limited Company

Learn why a shareholders agreement is critical for every Sendirian Berhad—what it covers, how it protects your interests, and why your unique business circumstances demand more than just standard documents.

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Article

Shareholder Agreement for Private Limited Company

Learn why a shareholders agreement is critical for every Sendirian Berhad—what it covers, how it protects your interests, and why your unique business circumstances demand more than just standard documents.

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Article

Shareholder Agreement for Startup: A Guide for Malaysian Founders

This article is specifically for Malaysian startup founders, teaching why and how to create a shareholders agreement, with local examples and clear, actionable steps tailored to real startup needs.

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Article

Shareholder Agreement for Startup: A Guide for Malaysian Founders

This article is specifically for Malaysian startup founders, teaching why and how to create a shareholders agreement, with local examples and clear, actionable steps tailored to real startup needs.

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Article

Shareholder Agreement Template Malaysia – The Real Cost and the Smarter Solution

This article is for Malaysian business owners considering shareholder agreement templates. It reveals why templates often fail, the risks they create, and explains why professional legal advice is the smarter, future-proof choice.

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Article

Shareholder Agreement Template Malaysia – The Real Cost and the Smarter Solution

This article is for Malaysian business owners considering shareholder agreement templates. It reveals why templates often fail, the risks they create, and explains why professional legal advice is the smarter, future-proof choice.

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Article

Shareholders Agreement Key Clauses

Don’t risk a boardroom standoff or lose control of your vision. Discover the must-have clauses top CEOs use to protect growth, avoid costly disputes, and move faster.

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Article

Shareholders Agreement Key Clauses

Don’t risk a boardroom standoff or lose control of your vision. Discover the must-have clauses top CEOs use to protect growth, avoid costly disputes, and move faster.

Read

Article

Shareholders Agreements in Malaysia: Essentials for Business Owners and CEOs

Discover why a customised shareholders agreement is crucial for Malaysian businesses. Learn what it covers, why templates fail, and how the right legal structure protects founders, investors, and your company’s future.

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Article

Shareholders Agreements in Malaysia: Essentials for Business Owners and CEOs

Discover why a customised shareholders agreement is crucial for Malaysian businesses. Learn what it covers, why templates fail, and how the right legal structure protects founders, investors, and your company’s future.

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Article

Shareholders' Agreement for a New Corporate Business Unit: Keeping Parent Company Control Without Killing Management Motivation

How a parent company keeps board control, protects its IP, and still motivates management when setting up a shareholders' agreement for a new business unit.

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Article

Shareholders' Agreement for a New Corporate Business Unit: Keeping Parent Company Control Without Killing Management Motivation

How a parent company keeps board control, protects its IP, and still motivates management when setting up a shareholders' agreement for a new business unit.

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Article

The Realities of Equity Fundraising in Malaysia

One funding mistake can cost you control for years. See how Malaysia’s sharpest founders secure capital without losing leverage.

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Article

The Realities of Equity Fundraising in Malaysia

One funding mistake can cost you control for years. See how Malaysia’s sharpest founders secure capital without losing leverage.

Read

Article

What is a Shareholders Agreement? An Easy Guide for Malaysian Business Owners

This article explains what a shareholders agreement is, why it matters, key clauses, and common mistakes—helping Malaysian business owners understand how to protect interests and prevent disputes effectively.

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Article

What is a Shareholders Agreement? An Easy Guide for Malaysian Business Owners

This article explains what a shareholders agreement is, why it matters, key clauses, and common mistakes—helping Malaysian business owners understand how to protect interests and prevent disputes effectively.

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Article

What is Equity Fundraising?

Learn how Malaysia’s best founders raise capital, protect leverage, and avoid common traps.

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Article

What is Equity Fundraising?

Learn how Malaysia’s best founders raise capital, protect leverage, and avoid common traps.

Read

Need assistance? Or do not know where to start? Contact us.

Submit the contact form

Go through a discovery session with our lawyer

We will come out with a proposal to assist you.

Need assistance? Or do not know where to start? Contact us.

Submit the contact form

Go through a discovery session with our lawyer

We will come out with a proposal to assist you.

Legal That Works logo

Legal That Works (Messrs Akmal Saufi & Co) is a Malaysian business friendly legal services firm providing services across multiple industries and practice area fuelling business growth and ambition.

All rights reserved. © Legal That Works is a legal service by Messrs Akmal Saufi & Co (Registration No. 00020004166). 2014-2026
Regulated by the Malaysian Bar Council under the Legal Profession Act 1976.

Legal That Works logo

Legal That Works (Messrs Akmal Saufi & Co) is a Malaysian business friendly legal services firm providing services across multiple industries and practice area fuelling business growth and ambition.

All rights reserved. © Legal That Works is a legal service by Messrs Akmal Saufi & Co (Registration No. 00020004166). 2014-2026

Regulated by the Malaysian Bar Council under the Legal Profession Act 1976.