Conflicts of interest and recusal
Declare a conflict of interest on a deal, have an admin or partner record whether you recuse, and see how recusal keeps your committee vote out of the tally.
When you have a reason not to judge a deal, such as a stake in the company or a competitor, or a close relationship with a founder, declare it. A reviewer decides whether you recuse, and committee votes respect that decision. Every conflict, review and change is kept with who and when.
Declare a conflict
- Open the deal and choose Decision.
- Under Conflicts of interest, click Declare a conflict.
- Choose what kind it is: Financial interest (I hold a stake in it or a competitor), Personal or professional relationship or Something else.
- Add a Note for the reviewer if it helps, in a sentence.
- Click Declare conflict.
Your conflict shows as Waiting for review. Until an admin or partner clears it, you can't vote on this deal's committee packets.
Committee members don't open deal pages. On the committee packet you review, turn on I have a conflict of interest and submit your review. You're recorded as recused straight away, and your vote doesn't count.
Review a conflict
Admins and partners see every conflict declared on the deal, under Conflicts of interest on the Decision tab.
- Click Recuse when the person should stay out of the decision.
- Click Clear when the conflict doesn't need a recusal. They can vote again.
You can change your review later with the other button. Nobody reviews their own conflict: another admin or partner has to.
What recusal means for committee votes
| Conflict | Can vote on this deal's packets | How an earlier vote counts |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting for review | No | As recused |
| Recused | No. Submit the review with I have a conflict of interest turned on | As recused |
| Cleared | Yes | As cast |
The tally on the packet counts recused reviewers separately, so the voting rule (majority, unanimous, or a champion and no veto) uses only the votes that count. See Committee memos, packets, reviews and decisions.
Who sees conflicts
| Role | Sees | Declares | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin, Partner | Every conflict on the deal | Their own | Other people's |
| Analyst | Their own, on deals they can open | Their own | No |
| Committee member | Their own, through the packets they review | Their own, on the packet | No |
Notes are kept for the reviewer. They are never shown to the founder.
Messages you might see
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| You've already declared a conflict on this deal. It's waiting for review. | Nothing. An admin or partner will review it |
| You're recused from this deal, so you can't vote. | Turn on I have a conflict of interest and submit your review as recused |
| Your declared conflict on this deal is waiting for review. | Ask an admin or partner to review it |
| Someone else has to review your own conflict. | Ask another admin or partner |
Frequently asked questions
Can I declare a conflict again after it was cleared?
Yes. Declaring again puts it back to Waiting for review.
Does a conflict hide the deal from me?
No. It only affects committee votes. Your fund decides whether you keep working on the deal.
Something unclear or missing? Tell us