Contract templates · Business Setup & Ownership
Joint ventures fail on the same three questions: who pays for what, who decides, and who owns what the venture creates. A written JV agreement answers them before money is spent.
A joint venture agreement is a contract between two or more businesses that pool resources for a defined project or market while staying independent. It sets the venture's scope, each party's contribution, governance, profit sharing, ownership of new IP and how the venture ends.
When you need one
- Two companies pooling resources for a project
- Entering a new market with a local partner
Key clauses in a Joint Venture Agreement
These are the clauses the template includes, and what each one does for you.
Scope and objective
Defines exactly what the venture is for, which limits what each party has signed up to.
Contributions of each party
Lists what each party brings, from cash and staff to licences, customers or local permits.
Governance and management committee
Creates a management committee and says which decisions need both parties.
Profit and cost sharing
Explains how revenue, costs and losses are split and when accounts are reconciled.
IP created by the venture
Decides who owns technology, content or brands developed during the venture and who can use them afterwards.
Exclusivity
Stops either party running a competing venture in the same field or territory while the JV is live.
Term, exit and wind-down
Sets the venture's length, exit triggers and how assets and customers are divided on wind-down.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not deciding upfront who owns jointly developed IP, which becomes the main dispute on exit.
- Using a contractual JV when the project really needs its own company, or the reverse.
- Ignoring competition law when competitors cooperate.
How to use the template
Download the Word file
Buy the Joint Venture Agreement template on My Contract Lawyer and download the editable .docx straight after checkout.
Fill in the brackets
Add names, dates, fees, scope and governing law, and delete optional clauses that do not apply to your deal.
Check it against local law
Rules differ between US states, the UK and EU countries, especially for employment, consumer and property contracts. Have a lawyer review high-value or unusual deals.
Sign and keep a copy
Sign on paper or with any e-signature tool, and store the final version where both sides can find it.
Get the Joint Venture Agreement template
Lawyer-drafted and ready to edit in Word, Google Docs or Pages. One-time payment of $29, no subscription, instant download from My Contract Lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Contractual JV or JV company?
A contractual JV suits a single project. A separate company suits a long-term venture with shared employees, assets or outside investment.
Is a joint venture a partnership?
It can be treated as one by default in some jurisdictions, which is why the agreement should state clearly that it is not, if that is the intention.
Who owns the IP a joint venture creates?
Whatever the agreement says. Common options are joint ownership, ownership by the party best placed to exploit it with a licence back, or ownership by the JV company.
Related contract templates
Templates are a starting point, not legal advice, and using one does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Contract law differs between countries and states, so check the finished document against local law.