Loading...
Answers
MenuWhat does it mean to 'grandfather you in' in the tech world?
This question has no further details.
Answers
It stands for allowing someone to continue doing or use something that is normally no longer permitted (due to changing regulations, internal rules etc.)
It means to give benefits to old users that you have stopped giving to new users. For instance if your online service is completely free and then you restrict certain features for new users, you might grandfather old users into the premium plan to keep them happy (since it was free for them initially)
I am a grandfather and I am involved already more than 35 years in the technologies' developments. I studied electronic lamps and now I am involved in projects with wifi, lifi, Bluetooth controls. I know how it went, I witnessed it. Youngsters are coming now and think, that the world is just created. Sadly for them, it is not. It is enough mature for grandfathers to be in.
all the best
Val
Before we investigate the question further, let us understand the use of Grandfather Clause. A grandfather clause is an exemption that allows persons or entities to continue with activities or operations that were approved before the implementation of new rules, regulations, or laws. A grandfather clause only exempts people or entities engaged in specified activities before new rules being put in place, while all other parties must abide by the new rules. However, these clauses effectively place two sets of rules or regulations on otherwise similar businesses or circumstances, which can create unfair competitive advantages for grandfathered parties. In these situations, grandfather clauses may only be granted for a set period.
The origin of the term refers to statutes put in place after the Civil War by seven Southern states in an attempt to block African Americans from voting while exempting white voters from taking literacy tests and paying poll taxes required to vote. In the statutes, white voters whose grandfathers had voted before the end of the Civil War were exempt from taking the tests and paying the taxes under the grandfather clause. The statute was deemed to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1915 because it violated equal voting rights, but the use of the term indicating rights prior to rule changes carries on.
Depending on specific circumstances, grandfather clauses can be implemented in perpetuity, for a specified amount of time, or with specific limitations. In situations where this clause creates a competitive advantage for the grandfathered party, exemptions are usually granted for a specified period to allow existing businesses to make the changes necessary to comply with new rules and regulations. Clauses with specific limitations may also be put in place to prevent unfair competition, such as prohibitions on the expansion, remodelling, or retooling of an existing facility.
The term is actually not ‘grandfather you in’ but ‘grandfather in’ which means, to exempt certain people or businesses from new limitations or restrictions, thus allowing them to continue doing or benefiting from something as they did before. This can be done through the use of a "grandfather clause." A noun or pronoun can be used between "grandfather" and "in." but grandfather someone or something in means to protect someone or a right using a grandfather clause. Grandfather clause is discussed at the beginning of the answer.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath
In the tech world, when someone says they want to "grandfather you in," it means they want to include you in a new policy, program, or opportunity, even though you may not meet the usual requirements or criteria. It's like giving you a special exception or privilege to be part of something based on your past involvement or relationship.
To "grandfather you in" typically means allowing someone to continue benefiting from certain privileges, rights, or conditions that they already have, even though new rules or requirements have been established that would otherwise exclude them. This phrase originates from the idea of a grandfather clause, which was a legal provision that exempted certain people or entities from new regulations or restrictions if they had already been doing something before the new rules were enacted. So, when someone says they will "grandfather you in," they are essentially allowing you to maintain your current status or benefits despite changes that might affect others.
Related Questions
-
How much equity should I ask as a CMO in a startup?
Greater risk = greater equity. How likely is this to fail or just break even? If you aren't receiving salary yet are among 4-6 non-founders with equivalent sweat investment, all of whom are lower on the totem pole than the two founders, figure out: 1) Taking into account all likely outcomes, what is the most likely outcome in terms of exit? (ex: $10MM.) Keep in mind that 90%+ of all tech startups fail (Allmand Law study), and of those that succeed 88% of M&A deals are under $100MM. Startups that exit at $1B+ are so rare they are called "unicorns"... so don't count on that, no matter how exciting it feels right now. 2) Figure out what 1% equity would give you in terms of payout for the most likely exit. For example, a $10MM exit would give you $100k for every 1% you own. 3) Decide what the chance is that the startup will fail / go bankrupt / get stuck at a $1MM business with no exit in sight. (According to Allman Law's study, 10% stay in business - and far fewer than that actually exit). 4) Multiply the % chance of success by the likely outcome if successful. Now each 1% of equity is worth $10k. You could get lucky and have it be worth millions, or it could be worth nothing. (With the hypothetical numbers I'm giving here, including the odds, you are working for $10k per 1% equity received if the most likely exit is $10MM and the % chance of failure is 90%.) 5) Come up with a vesting path. Commit to one year, get X equity at the end. If you were salaried, the path would be more like 4 years, but since it's free you deserve instant equity as long as you follow through for a reasonable period of time. 6) Assuming you get agreement in writing from the founders, what amount of $ would you take in exchange for 12 months of free work? Now multiply that by 2 to factor in the fact that the payout would be far down the road, and that there is risk. 7) What percentage share of equity would you need in order to equal that payout on exit? 8) Multiply that number by 2-3x to account for likely dilution over time. 9) If the founders aren't willing to give you that much equity in writing, then it's time to move on! If they are, then decide whether you're willing to take the risk in exchange for potentially big rewards (and of course, potentially empty pockets). It's a fascinating topic with a lot of speculation involved, so if you want to discuss in depth, set up a call with me on Clarity. Hope that helps!RD
-
What is the average series A funding round at pre revenue valuation for a enterprise start up w/cutting edge tech on verge of our first client.
With all respect to Dan, I'm not seeing anything like that. You said "pre-revenue." If it's pre-revenue and enterprise, you don't have anything proven yet. You would have to have an insanely interesting story with a group of founders and execs on board with ridiculous competitive advantage built in. I have seen a few of those companies. It's more like $3m-$5m pre. Now, post-revenue is different. I've seen enterprise plays with $500k-$1m revenue/yr, still very early (because in the enterprise space that's not a lot of customers yet), getting $8m-$15m post in an A-round. I do agree there's no "average." Finally, you will hit the Series A Crunch issue, which is that for every company like yours with "cutting edge tech" as-yet-unproven, there's 10 which also have cutting edge tech except they have customers, revenue, etc.. So in this case, it's not a matter of valuation, but a matter of getting funded at all!JC
-
What tools to use for mobile Prototyping ?
My 2 favourite are: - www.uxpin.com - www.flinto.com Flinto is by far my favorite for mobile. I also us www.balsamiq.com for anything wireframe. Sometimes I jump into Sketch http://www.bohemiancoding.com/sketch/ for more high fidelity mockups using their Mirror feature http://www.bohemiancoding.com/sketch/mirror/ Hope that helps. P.S. There's a tonne of Mobile UX experts on Clarity, many $1/min - call them, you'll learn so much. my2cents.DM
-
How can I become an idea person, as a professional title?
One word: Royalties This means you generate the idea and develop it enough to look interesting to a larger company who would be willing to pay you a royalty for your idea. This happens all the time. Rock stars, authors and scientists routinely license their creative ideas to other companies who pay them a royalty. Anyone can do it. Your business, therefore, would be a think tank. You (and your team, if you have one) would consider the world's problems, see what kinds of companies are trying to solve those problems, and then develop compelling solutions that they can license from you. You have to be able to sell your idea and develop a nice presentation, a little market research and an understanding of basic trademark and patent law. The nice thing about doing this is that if you develop enough cool ideas you will have royalties coming in from a lot of different sources, this creates a stable, passive revenue stream that requires little or no work to maintain. Start in your spare time and plan on the process taking 3-5 years. Set a goal to have a few products in the market that provide enough revenue (royalties) to cover your basic living expenses. Then you can quit your day job and dedicate more time and increase the momentum. A good idea business should have dozens, if not hundreds of license contracts generating royalties. It's possible to pull this off. And it is a fun job (I'm speaking from experience).MM
-
What percentage of VC funded startups make it to 100m+ revenues in 5 years or less?
100M+ in revenues in 5 years or less does not happen very often. As an example of one sector, here is an interesting data visualization (circa 2008) of the 100 largest publically traded software companies at that time that shows their actual revenue ramp-ups from SEC filings (only 4 out of these 100 successful companies managed this feat, which themselves are an extremely small percentage of all of the VC-funded software companies): How Long Does it Take to Build a Technology Empire? http://ipo-dashboards.com/wordpress/2009/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-technology-empire/ Key findings excerpted from the link above: "Only 28% of the nation’s most successful public software empires were rocketships. I’ve defined a rocket ship as a company that reached $50 million in annual sales in 6 years or less (this is the type of growth that typically appears in VC-funded business plans). A hot shot reaches $50m in 7 to 12 years. A slow burner takes 13 years or more. Interestingly, 50% of these companies took 9 or more years to reach $50m in revenue."MB
the startups.com platform
Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.