Build a Dilution / Cap Table Impact Model

Model Reef focuses on cashflows and financial statements rather than explicit share counts and legal cap tables. This guide shows how to use Model Reef outputs together with simple external cap table logic to understand dilution and valuation impact from capital events.

Before you start

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You should have:

  • A working model that includes planned capital raises.

  • Equity variables representing each funding round.

  • An external or conceptual view of the company’s share count and ownership structure.

You will combine Model Reef’s valuation and funding flows with share count logic that you typically manage in a separate cap table file.

What you will build

  • A mapping between Model Reef’s equity injections and your cap table.

  • A view of pre money and post money values.

  • Ownership percentage changes for each round based on Model Reef’s implied equity value.

1

Represent funding rounds in the model

In your Model Reef forecast:

  • For each planned funding round, create an Equity variable, for example:

    • Equity - Seed Round.

    • Equity - Series A.

    • Equity - Series B.

  • Set:

    • Timing of each round.

    • Amount raised in each round.

  • Confirm in the Cashflow Statement:

    • Equity raises appear under Financing Cashflow.

These variables will increase cash and share capital, and will be used when interpreting dilution externally.

2

Derive implied equity value from the model

Use the valuation engine:

  • With your forecast and funding plan in place, open Valuation.

  • Focus on Equity NPV or a chosen snapshot equity value metric.

  • For each relevant point in time (for example at each round or at exit):

    • Note the implied equity value from Model Reef.

This implied value can be used as a proxy for the round pre money or post money valuation, depending on your convention.

3

Connect to an external cap table

Because Model Reef does not track share counts and classes directly, you should:

  • Maintain a simple cap table file externally, for example in a spreadsheet.

  • For each funding round:

    • Use the Model Reef implied equity value at that time as either:

      • Pre money value.

      • Post money value.

    • Combine it with the cash raised to infer:

      • Implied share price.

      • New shares issued.

  • Update ownership percentages for existing and new investors.

Linking points:

  • Input: Equity capital from Model Reef.

  • Input: Implied valuation from Model Reef.

  • Output: New share counts and ownership from the external cap table.

4

Interpret dilution using scenarios

To understand dilution risk and outcomes:

  • Create separate models for different funding strategies, for example:

    • Company - Funding - Equity Heavy.

    • Company - Funding - Debt Heavy.

    • Company - Funding - Staged Rounds.

  • For each model:

    • Export round sizes and implied equity values.

    • Update your external cap table.

  • Compare ownership outcomes across strategies.

This gives a view of how choosing different capital structures changes dilution and investor outcomes.

5

Tie dilution back to cash and valuation

In discussions or documentation:

  • Use Model Reef to show:

    • How each funding plan affects cash runway and growth capacity.

    • How valuation evolves under each plan.

  • Use the external cap table to show:

    • How much of that future value each stakeholder owns.

    • How dilution from new rounds trades off against a stronger or weaker business.

This combined view enables more informed decisions around fundraising and ownership.

Check your work

  • All material funding rounds are represented as Equity variables in your model.

  • Model Reef’s implied equity values are clearly recorded at each funding event.

  • The external cap table aligns with the same funding amounts and timing.

  • Dilution and valuation narratives are consistent between financial forecasts and ownership modelling.

Troubleshooting

chevron-rightCap table results conflict with Model Reef valuationhashtag

Check that you are using the same valuation definition in both places (for example pre money or post money) and that you have not double counted a round.

chevron-rightDilution looks too aggressivehashtag

Consider raising in smaller tranches or incorporating more debt, then test these alternatives in separate models.

chevron-rightInvestors challenge implied pricinghashtag

Use the valuation guides and sensitivity models to explain the range of plausible values and how your chosen assumptions affect the outcome.

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