Examples of NDAs: 3 Diverse Examples of NDA Templates You Can Actually Use

Before definitions and theory, let’s start with the examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates that show up again and again in real business:

• A mutual NDA for two companies collaborating on a project
• A one-way NDA for employees, freelancers, or vendors
• An investor/partner NDA tailored to pitches and strategic deals

These three examples include most of what you’ll encounter in day-to-day business. From there, we’ll branch into 6–8 more concrete scenarios so you can see how the same core structure gets adapted.

Example of a Mutual NDA for Product Collaboration

Picture two software companies exploring a joint AI product in 2025. They both need to share roadmaps, code concepts, and maybe even early user data. In that context, the best examples of NDAs are mutual: both sides disclose, both sides promise to protect.

A mutual NDA template here typically includes:

• Parties: Both companies listed with full legal names and addresses
• Purpose: Evaluating a potential joint development or partnership
• Definition of Confidential Information: Product specs, source-code snippets, pricing models, customer lists, and any non-public technical or business info
• Use restriction: Information can be used only to evaluate the partnership
• Non-disclosure: Limits who within each company can see the data (e.g., employees with a need to know)
• Security expectations: Reasonable safeguards, often aligning with industry standards (think SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc.)
• Term and survival: The NDA might last 2–5 years, but trade secrets can be protected indefinitely

A real example would be a mutual NDA between a fintech startup and a bank piloting an embedded payments product. The startup shares proprietary algorithms; the bank shares customer behavior data and internal risk models. Both sides have leverage, so both sign a mutual NDA.

This kind of template is flexible. The same structure works for:

• Two biotech companies exploring a joint research project
• A manufacturer and a hardware startup co-developing a new device
• A media company and a streaming platform discussing content licensing

Across these scenarios, the examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates usually start from a similar mutual form and then tweak definitions, security language, and data-handling rules.

One-Way NDA Template: Employees, Freelancers, and Vendors

The second category in our examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates is the one-way NDA, where only one party is really disclosing sensitive information.

Typical real examples include:

• An employer sharing confidential strategy and financials with a new senior hire
• A startup granting a freelance developer access to proprietary code
• An e-commerce company giving a marketing agency access to non-public performance data
• A medical clinic sharing internal process documents with a software vendor (on top of HIPAA obligations, if applicable)

In a one-way NDA template, you’ll usually see:

• Disclosing Party / Receiving Party clearly labeled (only one side is disclosing)
• Definition of Confidential Information focused on the company’s data, not the contractor’s
• Return or destruction clause when the engagement ends
• No license granted: The receiving party doesn’t gain IP rights by seeing the information
• Non-solicitation (sometimes): Preventing a contractor from poaching staff or clients

For example, a 2024 SaaS startup hiring a remote engineer through a staffing firm might send a one-way NDA that covers:

• Source code and architecture diagrams
• Internal security policies
• Customer usage metrics

The engineer promises not to use that information outside the assignment, not to share it with other clients, and to return or delete it when the contract ends.

One-way NDAs are also common in HR settings. Many U.S. employers use them alongside offer letters or during executive interviews to protect:

• Non-public financials
• M&A plans
• Compensation structures

The best examples of NDAs in hiring situations are short, plain-language one-way forms that candidates can review quickly but that still give the company real protection.

Investor & Deal-Making NDA Template

The third pillar in our examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates is the investor or strategic-partner NDA. This one is tricky because, in practice, many venture capital (VC) firms refuse to sign NDAs for early pitch decks. They cite deal volume and potential conflicts.

But there are still plenty of real examples where an investor-style NDA makes sense:

• Strategic corporate investors reviewing non-public technical details
• Private equity firms conducting preliminary due diligence
• Potential acquirers in early-stage M&A conversations

In these NDAs, you’ll often see:

• Narrow purpose: Evaluating a possible investment or acquisition
• Carve-outs for existing knowledge: Information the investor already knows, or learns independently, is excluded
• Regulatory carve-outs: Allowing disclosure if required by law or regulators
• Limited term: Often 1–3 years, especially for financial information

A realistic example: A U.S. healthcare analytics startup in 2025 sharing sensitive hospital data models with a large health system’s venture arm. Because health information is heavily regulated, the NDA may reference HIPAA or data-handling obligations and sit alongside a business associate agreement (BAA). The NDA protects business methods and models; the BAA covers patient data under federal law.

For background on how regulators think about data privacy, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission publishes guidance on health and commercial data practices: ftc.gov. It’s not an NDA template source, but it’s a helpful context when your NDA touches consumer or patient data.

Six More Concrete NDA Scenarios You’ll See in 2024–2025

Those three core templates cover most ground, but real life is messier. Here are six additional real examples of how NDA templates get tailored in 2024–2025:

1. AI Training and Data-Sharing NDAs

Companies sharing datasets to train AI models now routinely add:

• Explicit bans on using data to train generalized models
• Requirements to anonymize or de-identify personal data
• Audit rights to verify compliance

A research collaboration between a hospital and an AI startup, for example, may combine an NDA with strict data-use terms and institutional review board (IRB) oversight. Academic partners often look to guidance from universities and agencies like the National Institutes of Health: nih.gov.

2. Startup Pitch NDAs for Sensitive Tech

While most VCs won’t sign NDAs for a basic deck, startups with highly sensitive IP—think novel biotech processes or hardware—sometimes insist on:

• A short-form NDA before sharing core trade secrets
• A clear distinction between public pitch materials and confidential technical annexes

This is a narrower, more targeted example of an investor NDA, rather than a blanket form.

3. Manufacturing & Supply Chain NDAs

Manufacturers often use NDAs when sharing:

• CAD files and design specs
• Bill of materials and sourcing strategies
• Pricing tiers by volume or geography

These NDAs usually include:

• Restrictions on subcontracting without consent
• Export-control and sanctions compliance language

4. Joint Research NDAs Between Universities and Companies

When a university lab collaborates with a private company, NDAs have to coexist with publication rights and academic freedom. Common features:

• Time-limited confidentiality for research results before publication
• Separate treatment of background IP (what each party brings in) and foreground IP (what’s created together)

Universities often publish general contracting guidance—Harvard, for instance, provides research and IP policy resources at harvard.edu, which can inform how NDAs are drafted around academic projects.

5. M&A Due Diligence NDAs

In mergers and acquisitions, NDAs control the flow of:

• Detailed financials
• Customer and vendor contracts
• Employee lists and compensation data

These NDAs often:

• Restrict contact with employees and customers (no spooking the market)
• Include standstill provisions in public-company deals

6. Short-Form NDAs for Quick Exploratory Calls

For a single exploratory meeting or demo, many companies use a short-form NDA:

• One or two pages
• Very narrow definition of confidential information
• Brief term (e.g., 1 year)

This is a practical example of keeping legal friction low while still preventing obvious misuse of information.

Across all of these, the best examples of NDAs reuse the same backbone: define confidential information, limit its use, control disclosure, and set a time frame—then adapt for data type, industry, and regulatory context.

Key Clauses You’ll See Repeated Across NDA Templates

Whether you’re looking at mutual, one-way, or investor NDAs, the patterns are surprisingly consistent. In almost all examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates and the six extra scenarios above, you’ll see:

Definition of Confidential Information

This clause decides what is actually protected. Strong, realistic examples include:

• Written, oral, or electronic information marked as confidential
• Information that by its nature should reasonably be understood as confidential (e.g., unreleased financials)
• Exclusions for information that is public, already known, independently developed, or obtained from another lawful source

Overly broad definitions can be hard to enforce; overly narrow ones leave gaps.

Purpose and Use Restrictions

Every NDA should explain why information is being shared and limit use to that purpose. For instance:

“The Receiving Party shall use Confidential Information solely for evaluating a potential software licensing relationship between the Parties.”

If you’re comparing examples of NDA templates online, this is the clause that quietly controls a lot of risk.

Term and Survival

Two separate ideas:

• How long the NDA itself lasts (e.g., 2 years)
• How long confidentiality obligations survive (e.g., 3–5 years, or indefinitely for trade secrets)

U.S. trade secret law, including under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (congress.gov), protects information that is kept secret and has economic value. Many NDAs now explicitly reference trade secret protection.

Remedies and Limitations

Some NDAs:

• Acknowledge that monetary damages may be inadequate
• Allow the disclosing party to seek injunctive relief (a court order to stop disclosure)
• Limit liability in some contexts, especially in mutual NDAs between large companies

When you review real examples, pay attention to whether the remedies are symmetrical or tilt toward one side.

How to Choose Among These Examples of NDA Templates

With so many examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates and additional scenarios, how do you decide what to start from?

Think through three questions:

1. Who is disclosing?

   • Only you? A one-way NDA is usually enough.
   • Both sides? Start with a mutual NDA.

2. What kind of information is involved?

   • Trade secrets or highly technical IP? Look for strong definitions and longer survival periods.
   • Personal or health data? You may need additional agreements (e.g., HIPAA-related BAAs) and alignment with privacy guidance from sources like hhs.gov.

3. How long will this relationship last?

   • One meeting or demo? A short-form NDA works.
   • Long-term collaboration or M&A? Use a more detailed template with clear return/destruction, non-solicitation, and possibly non-circumvention language.

The best examples of NDAs are the ones you can explain in plain English to a non-lawyer colleague. If you can’t summarize what each party can and can’t do with the information, the template is probably over-engineered—or hiding something.

FAQs About NDA Templates and Real-World Examples

What are some common real examples of NDA use in business?

Common examples include:

• Startups sharing product roadmaps with potential partners
• Employers sharing internal strategy with senior hires
• Companies giving agencies or freelancers access to performance data
• Manufacturers sharing design files with overseas factories
• Buyers reviewing financials during M&A due diligence

All of these rely on some version of the three core NDA templates we’ve discussed.

Can I use the same NDA template for employees and vendors?

You can start from the same one-way NDA structure, but you should adjust:

• Definitions (employees see different data than vendors)
• Term lengths
• Non-solicitation or non-competition language (often more relevant for employees and key contractors)

Many organizations use a short, employee-focused NDA as part of the onboarding packet and a separate vendor NDA aligned with procurement policies.

Are online NDA templates safe to use?

They’re a starting point, not a finished product. If you compare several examples of NDA templates from law firms, bar associations, or reputable legal publishers, you’ll see consistent patterns—but also important differences in:

• Term lengths
• IP ownership language
• Data-security expectations

For anything high-stakes (major IP, M&A, sensitive data), have a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction review the template.

Is an email or verbal promise of confidentiality enough?

Courts sometimes enforce implied confidentiality, especially under trade secret law, but it’s far harder to prove. A written NDA:

• Clarifies expectations
• Shows you took reasonable steps to protect information
• Reduces disputes over who said what

That’s why, in practice, the best examples of NDAs are short, clear documents signed before the first deep-dive conversation.

Do NDAs work internationally?

NDAs are widely used across jurisdictions, but:

• Enforcement standards differ by country
• Some terms (like non-competes) may be restricted or unenforceable in certain places

If you’re sharing sensitive information across borders, it’s wise to use governing law and jurisdiction clauses and to have local counsel review the agreement.

Bottom line: Use these examples of NDAs: 3 diverse examples of NDA templates—mutual, one-way, and investor—as your backbone, then adapt for AI data, manufacturing, HR, or M&A as needed. The document doesn’t need to be long; it needs to be clear about what’s confidential, why it’s being shared, and what each side is allowed (and not allowed) to do with it.