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SETUP-GUIDE.md
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| 36b4cbd | 1 | # Gluecron Legal & Corporate Setup Guide |
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ## IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER | |
| 4 | This document provides a starting framework only. It is NOT legal advice. | |
| 5 | You MUST have an attorney review everything before launch. These templates | |
| 6 | give your attorney a head start, which saves you money. | |
| 7 | ||
| 8 | --- | |
| 9 | ||
| 10 | ## 1. COMPANY STRUCTURE RECOMMENDATION | |
| 11 | ||
| 12 | ### Recommended: Delaware C-Corp (if seeking VC/investment) | |
| 13 | - Standard for tech startups | |
| 14 | - Investors expect it | |
| 15 | - Clear equity/stock structure | |
| 16 | - Can issue stock options to future employees | |
| 17 | ||
| 18 | ### Alternative: LLC (if bootstrapping) | |
| 19 | - Simpler, cheaper to set up | |
| 20 | - Pass-through taxation (no double tax) | |
| 21 | - Can convert to C-Corp later when raising | |
| 22 | - Good for solo founder getting revenue first | |
| 23 | ||
| 24 | ### Action Steps: | |
| 25 | 1. Register with your state's Secretary of State ($50-$150) | |
| 26 | 2. Get an EIN from IRS (free, irs.gov, takes 5 minutes) | |
| 27 | 3. Open a business bank account (keep personal and business separate) | |
| 28 | 4. If Delaware C-Corp: use Stripe Atlas ($500) or Clerky — they handle everything | |
| 29 | ||
| 30 | --- | |
| 31 | ||
| 32 | ## 2. KEY AGREEMENTS YOU NEED | |
| 33 | ||
| 34 | ### a) Terms of Service (see TERMS.md) | |
| 35 | ### b) Privacy Policy (see PRIVACY.md) | |
| 36 | ### c) Acceptable Use Policy (see AUP.md) | |
| 37 | ### d) DMCA Policy (required for hosting user content) | |
| 38 | ### e) Data Processing Agreement (for EU users / GDPR) | |
| 39 | ||
| 40 | --- | |
| 41 | ||
| 42 | ## 3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION | |
| 43 | ||
| 44 | ### Trademark | |
| 45 | - File "GLUECRON" as a trademark with USPTO | |
| 46 | - Cost: $250-$350 per class (do Class 42: software services) | |
| 47 | - Can file yourself at trademark.uspto.gov | |
| 48 | - Takes 8-12 months but protection dates back to filing | |
| 49 | ||
| 50 | ### Domain Protection | |
| 51 | - Secure: gluecron.com, gluecron.io, gluecron.dev, gluecron.ai | |
| 52 | - Also grab social handles: @gluecron everywhere | |
| 53 | ||
| 54 | ### Copyright | |
| 55 | - Your code is automatically copyrighted when written | |
| 56 | - Add copyright headers to source files | |
| 57 | - Register with US Copyright Office for extra protection ($65) | |
| 58 | ||
| 59 | ### Patents (later, with attorney) | |
| 60 | - The intelligence layer (auto-repair, health scoring, zero-config CI) | |
| 61 | may be patentable as novel software methods | |
| 62 | - Provisional patent application: $1,600-$3,000 with attorney | |
| 63 | - Gives you 12 months to file full patent | |
| 64 | ||
| 65 | --- | |
| 66 | ||
| 67 | ## 4. CRITICAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A CODE HOSTING PLATFORM | |
| 68 | ||
| 69 | ### DMCA Safe Harbor (MUST HAVE before launch) | |
| 70 | - Register a DMCA agent with the US Copyright Office | |
| 71 | - Cost: $6 per filing | |
| 72 | - Required to get safe harbor protection (you're not liable for | |
| 73 | what users host on the platform) | |
| 74 | - Register at: https://www.copyright.gov/dmca-directory/ | |
| 75 | ||
| 76 | ### Section 230 Protection | |
| 77 | - You're a platform, not a publisher | |
| 78 | - Your ToS must make clear users are responsible for their content | |
| 79 | - Don't editorialize or curate user repos (safe harbor) | |
| 80 | ||
| 81 | ### GDPR Compliance (if any EU users) | |
| 82 | - Privacy policy must disclose data collection | |
| 83 | - Users must be able to delete their account and data | |
| 84 | - Data processing agreement for business users | |
| 85 | - Appoint data protection contact | |
| 86 | ||
| 87 | ### Export Controls | |
| 88 | - Git hosting may trigger export control considerations | |
| 89 | - Block sanctioned countries if needed | |
| 90 | - Include export compliance in ToS | |
| 91 | ||
| 92 | --- | |
| 93 | ||
| 94 | ## 5. REVENUE PROTECTION | |
| 95 | ||
| 96 | ### Pricing Page Legal | |
| 97 | - "Prices subject to change with 30 days notice" | |
| 98 | - Auto-renewal disclosure (required by many states) | |
| 99 | - Refund policy (keep it simple: prorated refunds on annual) | |
| 100 | ||
| 101 | ### Payment Processing | |
| 102 | - Use Stripe — they handle PCI compliance | |
| 103 | - Never store credit card numbers yourself | |
| 104 | - Stripe Atlas can also incorporate your company | |
| 105 | ||
| 106 | --- | |
| 107 | ||
| 108 | ## 6. COST ESTIMATE (DIY + Attorney Review) | |
| 109 | ||
| 110 | | Item | DIY Cost | With Attorney | | |
| 111 | |------|----------|---------------| | |
| 112 | | LLC filing | $50-$150 | $500-$800 | | |
| 113 | | EIN | Free | Included | | |
| 114 | | ToS + Privacy (template) | Free | $1,500-$3,000 review | | |
| 115 | | DMCA agent registration | $6 | $6 | | |
| 116 | | Trademark filing | $250-$350 | $800-$1,500 | | |
| 117 | | Total minimum to launch | ~$300-$500 | ~$3,000-$5,500 | | |
| 118 | ||
| 119 | The templates below save you $2,000-$4,000 in attorney drafting fees. | |
| 120 | Your attorney only needs to REVIEW and CUSTOMIZE, not write from scratch. |