Skip to content
econtracts.ai
Sign inStart free

Finance and corporate

Joint venture agreement template

Joint venture agreement: A joint venture agreement sets how two or more businesses will cooperate on a specific project or venture: contributions, control, profit sharing and exit.

Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 7 clauses · General guidance, not legal advice

Upload yours for a review and e-signature, or save it as a team template.

Start free

When to use a joint venture agreement

  • Entering a new market with a local partner
  • Co-developing a product or bid
  • Sharing costs and risk on a large project

Joint venture agreement template: clause-by-clause outline

Sample starting wording for each clause. Replace the text in [brackets] with your details.

  1. Purpose

    The parties will cooperate to [project] (the “Venture”).

  2. Structure

    The Venture will be run [contractually / through a new company, JVCo].

  3. Contributions

    Party A contributes [cash, IP, staff]; Party B contributes [market access, assets].

  4. Governance

    A steering committee with [2] members from each party will make decisions; [listed matters] need unanimity.

  5. Profits and costs

    Profits and costs are shared [50/50 / in proportion to contributions].

  6. IP

    Each party keeps its background IP. IP created by the Venture belongs to [JVCo / the parties jointly].

  7. Exit

    Either party may exit after [3] years, with the other having a right to buy its interest at fair value.

What to check before you sign

  • Is there a deadlock mechanism?
  • Who owns IP developed in the venture?
  • Does the venture need merger or foreign investment clearance?

How to send a joint venture agreement for e-signature

  1. Draft or upload it. Use the outline above with your own wording, upload an existing document, or save it as your organisation’s template.
  2. Check it against your playbook. Points outside your positions are flagged, and approval rules route it to Legal when needed.
  3. Send it by email. Signers get a plain-language review and a secure link, sign on any device in the order you set, and can suggest changes as tracked changes.
  4. Keep the signed PDF. Everyone receives it with a certificate of completion, and key dates go to Upcoming with reminders.

Joint venture agreement template: frequently asked questions

Contractual JV or JV company?

A contract suits a defined project; a company suits a long-term business with shared assets and staff.

How are deadlocks resolved?

Common tools are escalation to CEOs, mediation, and as a last resort buy-sell (“shotgun”) clauses.

Is an electronically signed joint venture agreement legally binding?

In most countries, yes. E-signatures are recognised for commercial contracts under laws such as the ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS (EU), the Electronic Communications Act (UK) and the Information Technology Act (India). econtracts.ai adds a certificate of completion with each signer’s identity check and a fingerprint of the signed content.

Can I get a joint venture agreement I received reviewed?

Yes. Upload it to econtracts.ai and you get a plain-language review: key dates, money and points to check, each quoting the clause it comes from.

Related contract templates

Partnership agreement templatePartnership agreementMemorandum of understanding templateMemorandum of understanding (MOU)Shareholders agreement templateShareholders’ agreement

This outline is a starting point for discussion, not legal advice, and it is not a complete contract. Laws differ by country and sector; have a qualified lawyer review contracts that matter.