Creating a pool ensures that your company has authorized shares ready to allocate to employees, advisors, and other contributors.
You can create a pool directly from the “Pools & Programs” page in the left-hand menu.
Where to start
On the pools & programs page:
If your company is brand new and has no pools yet, the main action on the page will be “Create your first pool.”
If your account already has pools, you can create a new one by clicking “+ add pool” in the top right corner.
Clicking either option will open a guided sequence that takes you through each step of creating a pool.
Name and description
The first step is to give your pool a name and a description, helping stakeholders understand what the pool is intended for (e.g., Employee Stock Option Pool 2024, Advisor Grant Pool, etc.).
Once done, click the arrow to proceed.
Choose the source of shares
Next, you must choose where the shares for the pool come from.
You have two options:
A) New shares
If the pool uses newly created shares:
Select “New shares”
Choose the share class from which shares should be authorized
This is the most common method for creating a pool intended for future incentive grants.
B) Existing shares
If the pool uses shares that already exist today:
Select “Existing shares”
Choose the stakeholder whose shares will be used
Select the share class belonging to that stakeholder
Note: When using existing shares, they are allocated from the chosen stakeholder to the pool, but do not actually change hands until stock options are exercised or RSA agreements are granted from the pool.
After choosing the source, enter:
The number of shares you want in the pool
The share price
Click the arrow again to go to the final step.
Review and finalize
The final step shows a summary of the pool you are about to create.
You will see:
The total number of shares being added to the pool
The percentage this pool represents compared to total company shares
This helps validate that the size of the pool aligns with your company’s equity plan.
Additional fields to complete:
Upload a document (e.g., board approval), or choose to upload it later
Select the date of approval
Indicate who approved the pool
Add an expiry date (if your pool has one)
Save as a draft or create the pool
At this point, you have two options:
Save as draft
The pool is stored as a draft
It will appear on the “Pools & Programs” page
You can return later to review and approve it by editing the draft
Nothing is finalized or active yet
Create the pool
Finalizes the creation immediately
You will be asked to confirm before it is created
The pool will appear as an active pool on the Pools & Programs page
Conclusion
Creating a pool in Unlisted is a guided and structured process that ensures your company allocates shares correctly for future incentive grants.
By following the sequence, naming the pool, choosing the share source, confirming the details, and finalizing the approval, you can confidently set up a pool that reflects your company’s equity strategy.