Common Paper operates at the intersection of legal infrastructure and autonomous agents by converting traditional, unstructured legal text into machine-readable data. The company provides standardized, open-source contract templates that use structured variables, creating a predictable framework for AI to process. This positions them in the application and data layers of the agent stack, where they facilitate the automation of B2B transactions. Their proprietary agent, Gerri, specifically handles contract negotiations by leveraging this structured data to evaluate terms and suggest changes.
For developers and users of AI agents, Common Paper is relevant because it addresses the reliability gap in legal automation. By championing a "contracts as data" approach rather than relying solely on large language models to parse ambiguous legal prose, they provide a more stable environment for agents to perform complex tasks like sales cycle management and procurement. Their API-first infrastructure allows other agentic workflows to programmatically generate and execute agreements, pushing the ecosystem toward standardized protocols for commercial legal interactions.
Common Paper is a legal technology pioneer building a comprehensive contract acceleration platform. Their vision is to establish a universal standard for commercial agreements, mirroring the impact the YC SAFE had on startup fundraising. By transitioning from unstructured text to structured data, Common Paper fundamentally eliminates the friction, time, and cost of legal negotiations.
The company's "secret sauce" lies in its unique approach to the standard commercial contract. Rather than treating contracts as bespoke text documents requiring exhaustive manual redlining, Common Paper open-sources its agreements—developed and maintained by a committee of over 40 attorneys. By treating legal terms as structured data with standardized variables, the platform dramatically accelerates sales cycles and prevents deals from bottlenecking in legal review.
Founded in 2020 in Philadelphia, Common Paper is led by serial entrepreneurs Jake Stein (CEO) and Ben Garvey (CTO). As seasoned leaders who previously scaled RJMetrics (acquired by Magento/Adobe) and Stitch (acquired by Talend), their firsthand experience with legal friction in high-growth environments inspired the platform. The company is backed by $4.5 million in Seed funding from Boldstart Ventures, Uncork Capital, and prominent angels from Carta and UiPath.
Common Paper is designed for fast-moving startups, B2B SaaS sales teams, and forward-thinking legal professionals. It primarily empowers Founders, CROs, and General Counsels who prioritize sales velocity and seek to minimize legal overhead.
A contract acceleration platform that uses structured data and open-source standards to streamline commercial agreements.
An AI-powered agent for contract negotiation.
Common Paper is hiring