Eton has been the gold standard in 409A valuation services since 2010. Our audit-ready 409A valuations are trusted by 1,000s of fast-growing startups each year—feel confident in yours with decades of experience behind you.
A 409A valuation sets the fair market value (FMV) strike price of your common stock.
Under IRC 409A, all companies that offer stock options to employees and stakeholders have a legal requirement to receive a 409A valuation annually, or upon experiencing a material event.
Since 2010, Eton has delivered thousands of audit-ready 409A valuations to startups like Perplexity, Substack, and Pinterest.
We’re a small team of Stanford Law lawyers and Ex-Big 4 Consultants that provide accurate, compliant 409A reports with excellent customer service.
Eton's sole focus on valuation and valuation advisory ensures impartial, objective judgments, maintaining compliance with IRS regulations and safe harbor protection.
Our team of experienced experts uses a combination of proven methods and proprietary tools to deliver data-driven valuations, considering each company's financial performance, financing history, market trends, and comparable public and private companies.
Since 2010, Eton has performed thousands of independent, audit-defensible valuations, establishing itself as a "go-to" valuation services firm for IRC 409A and ASC 718. Clients include: Perplexity, Pinterest, Substack, and more.
Founded by securities lawyers from top law schools / law firms and staffed with finance professionals trained by the Big Four and other prominent financial services firms, Eton brings intellectual and quantitative rigor unmatched by others.
Our 409a valuation services take 10 days as standard. However, when needed, we can do it in as little as one day.
There are lots of 409A valuation providers out there, so why choose us? That’s a great question.
Here are a few reasons to choose Eton:
Our 409A valuation services typically cost anywhere from $2500 to $4000.
Where you fall in that range will depend on the complexity of your startup’s funding stage and the turn-around time required.
Read our full article on this topic here.
To remain compliant of IRC 409A, you must get a 409A valuation either every 12 months or whenever a material event, like a funding round occurs. Your valuations must also meet safe harbor requirements.
Early-stage startups should perform their first 409A valuation before granting any stock options to employees or other stakeholders.
By obtaining an accurate 409A valuation before issuing stock options, startups can ensure compliance with IRS regulations and minimize the risk of tax penalties.
Startups should also update their 409A valuations at least once every 12 months or more frequently if there are significant changes in the company’s circumstances or market conditions. Read about our 409a valuation process here.