The Merge Standard

The problem

Why it exists

Two people who want to build something together open a conversation about splits, scope, and exclusivity before either of them knows what the thing is. Counsel drafting for an undefined relationship writes for maximum protection. The paper comes back one-sided and the work stops while the terms get argued.

The Merge Standard splits that negotiation into three stages and settles only what can honestly be settled at each one. Trust first, roles second, equity last and only once.

Documents

Three stages, two references

Each document carries its version in its first heading block. Merge Combinator publishes these documents, uses them, and reviews them internally; a change is a new version. They are templates provided as is, with no warranty, and are not legal advice. Every URL below returns plain markdown as text/plain with open CORS. No file download and no authentication.

What makes it a standard

The four rules that make it a standard

1. Published and free. Anyone may use these, including people who will never work with Merge and people who compete with us. A document only one party can use is not a standard.
2. We use them ourselves, on every conversation we start.
3. We do not negotiate them. Proposed changes go through issues and land in the next version for everyone. Side deals on different terms would end the standard.
4. Versions are numbered and dated, and old versions stay published. If a party signed 1.0, they can always read 1.0.

Changes

Proposing a change

Open an issue using the change proposal form. Say which document, version, and section, give the text you propose, and say why it is better for every party and not only for one. We answer in the issue, so what was asked for and what we decided are both on the record. Accepted changes land in the next version for everyone.

We do not sign modified copies.

Versions

Versioning

• MAJOR.MINOR per document. Minor for clarifications and added structure. Major when a term changes meaning for a party who already signed.
• Every document carries its version in the first heading block and its changelog at the bottom.
• Superseded versions move to archive/<version>/ and are never deleted.
• Repository releases are tagged by date, vYYYY.MM.DD, because each document versions on its own.

Roles

The six roles

Reference for the Pursue and Form agreements. You pick a role. You do not draft one.

For agents

For agents filling in a draft

https://mergecombinator.com/standard/llms.txt       index of everything
https://mergecombinator.com/standard/explore.md     Explore Agreement
https://mergecombinator.com/standard/pursue.md      Pursue Agreement
https://mergecombinator.com/standard/form.md        Form Agreement
https://mergecombinator.com/standard/roles.md       Role Taxonomy
https://mergecombinator.com/standard/pipeline.md    Venture Pipeline and Gates

• Read the field table at the bottom of the Explore Agreement. Replace each {{token}} with a value. Leave the eight signature tokens alone, since the parties fill those when they sign.
• The deliverables table in section 1 is fixed at three rows. The first two rows name the signing parties; leave the third row blank if no additional responsible party has a deliverable.
• review_date is the effective date plus 30 days.
• Do not change any other text. Merge Combinator does not sign modified copies. A proposed change belongs in an issue.

License

License and name

The text is licensed under CC BY 4.0. You may use and adapt these documents, including commercially. The version header in each document satisfies attribution.

These documents are templates provided as is, with no warranty and no representation that they fit your situation. They are not legal advice. Have your own counsel review anything you sign.

The name is reserved. See TRADEMARK.md. A modified document must not be called The Merge Standard or carry a Merge version header.