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For a startup, factors such as securing funding and building a strong, scalable business model are naturally core concerns. But while they may not be at the top of every startup founder’s agenda, compliance and risk management mustn’t be overlooked.
Particularly if you’re operating in a regulation-heavy industry, these two elements are fundamental to your business’s future. Let’s say you’ve built a leading FinTech product, for instance the technology itself might be groundbreaking, but without a strong compliance framework, you could face regulatory penalties that curtail your growth.
But where do you even start? If you’re a startup founder and compliance and risk management are terms that fill you with confusion or dread, your best bet is a governance platform that streamlines the management of these essential factors for you.
In this post, we’ve rounded up ten of the very best corporate governance platforms to help startups manage compliance and risk.
1. Diligent
Diligent is not only something every startup founder should strive to be it’s also the name of the leading governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platform.
With over 1 million users worldwide, Diligent centralizes all GRC activities into a single dashboard, making it easy for startup businesses to identify risk, eliminate data gaps, and gain key insights while saving time and money.
Diligent is also one of the early adopters of AI in this area, with automation-ready features that minimize repetitive work and help startup boards make more informed, data-driven decisions faster. For example, GovernAI helps leadership teams cut meeting preparation time and summarize key takeaways and discussion points.
Diligent’s integrated board management platform, Diligent Boards, is one of its key features, allowing time-strapped teams to speed up approvals and signature collections, monitor board performance levels, and maintain strong security over data. The tool can reportedly save internal IT teams over 620 hours in support hours.
For founders wondering how to put these practices into action, Diligent’s corporate risk management guide offers step-by-step strategies on identifying risks early, setting up controls, and building a proactive culture of governance. It’s a practical starting point for startups that want to move beyond compliance checklists and embed risk management into their growth strategy.
2. OnBoard
Designed to simplify board and governance operations, OnBoard is especially suited for companies that don’t have the resources to build out complex compliance processes internally, which is often the case for startups.
The platform makes it easy for teams to schedule meetings, share documents securely, and track critical decisions transparently and compliantly, with a standout feature being its real-time collaboration tools, which keep everyone aligned even if your board members are spread across different time zones.
The focus on simplicity may limit OnBoard’s effectiveness for companies with complex governance needs, but it’s a great entry-level option for those looking for something straightforward and affordable.
3. BoardEffect
Built primarily with mission-driven companies in mind, BoardEffect focuses on supporting the governance needs of charities, foundations, community organizations, and other nonprofit ventures.
From onboarding new members to ensuring accurate recordkeeping, startups benefit from features such as secure board books and director surveys, making compliance more manageable without endless email chains.
One of BoardEffect’s strengths is its emphasis on usability, with a clean interface that doesn’t overwhelm less tech-savvy directors. It also includes compliance tracking and reporting capabilities that can help impress investors during due diligence rounds.
BoardEffect’s focus on nonprofits means it might not be suitable for every early-stage company, but it’s a powerful solution for mission-driven startups.
4. Nasdaq Boardvantage
Nasdaq Boardvantage is trusted by some of the largest corporations worldwide and that pedigree can give a startup credibility when courting investors.
Built with security in mind, Boardvantage offers encrypted communication channels and audit trails that keep sensitive data safe and traceable.
The mobile-friendly design is particularly appealing for busy founders and directors who often manage board duties on the go.
The learning curve can be steep, and its enterprise-level focus may be offputting for very early-stage businesses. Still, for scaling startups eyeing rapid international expansion, Nasdaq Boardvantage provides an enterprise-level foundation from day one.
5. Govenda
Formerly known as BoardBookit, Govenda is built to make governance “board member-friendly”.
The platform offers intuitive tools for secure document sharing, voting and performance tracking, all accessible through an easy-to-use mobile app. For startups, the ability to set permissions and manage sensitive information is a big advantage, especially when investor updates and compliance documents are involved.
Govenda also emphasizes engagement, with features like polls and annotations that encourage board members to participate actively.
While highly accessible, however, Govenda doesn’t yet match some of the AI-powered features found in competitors like Diligent, so startups looking for automation-driven insights may find it a bit basic in comparison.
6. Azeus Convene
Convene by Azeus is a governance platform that has made waves for its focus on streamlined, paperless board management.
Startups looking to cut costs on printing, mailing, and manual archiving will find its digital-first approach especially compelling, while Convene enables secure distribution of board packs, role-based access and built-in voting systems all designed to reduce meeting prep time.
A highlight for growing startups is its affordability, making it a strong entry-level solution for teams still bootstrapping but while it ticks all the core boxes, it can feel somewhat limited in advanced compliance management compared to higher-tier solutions.
7. Sherpany
A European-born governance solution, Sherpany focuses heavily on team efficiency and meeting productivity.
The platform enables startups to create structured agendas, share pre-read materials securely, and generate automated meeting minutes ideal for founders juggling multiple priorities.
Sherpany also complies with strict EU data protection standards (which provides strong reassurance for startups handling sensitive investor or customer data) and its analytics capabilities help startup boards track performance and make better decisions.
The downside? Sherpany is less well-known outside Europe, and some integrations are limited compared to global competitors. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent fit for European startups or any founder who prioritizes compliance with GDPR from the get-go.
8. BoardPro
BoardPro is a governance tool built with small to medium-sized organizations in mind, making it a natural fit for startups.
It aims to take the stress out of board admin with templates for agendas and minutes, automated action tracking, and a centralized hub for all governance documents.
Startups often praise its affordability and the fact that it makes compliance processes feel less intimidating, with another plus being BoardPro’s strong customer support, which helps founders get set up quickly.
The trade-off is that BoardPro lacks some of the advanced AI and analytics features found in premium platforms like Diligent. But for startups that need a cost-effective entry point into governance, it’s hard to beat.
9. ContractZen
ContractZen is slightly different from the other platforms on this list, as it combines governance with contract and entity management.
For startups, that means you get a tool that not only helps you stay compliant but also keeps tabs on key agreements with investors, suppliers and partners. Its e-signature integration, secure virtual data rooms, and deadline reminders ensure nothing critical slips through the cracks.
ContractZen’s intuitive interface makes it accessible to smaller teams without dedicated compliance staff, but because it’s broader in scope, some governance-specific features are less advanced compared to platforms that are entirely focused on board operations.
Still, for multitasking startups, ContractZen’s “all-in-one” approach can be really useful.
10. iDeals Board
Rounding out our list is iDeals, a platform known for its emphasis on secure collaboration.
Startups handling sensitive intellectual property or financial data will appreciate its military-grade encryption and strict compliance certifications. But beyond security, iDeals Board makes it simple to share agendas, track votes and monitor decisions with complete transparency.
Its customizable workflows are particularly helpful for startups establishing governance structures for the first time.
iDeals Board doesn’t yet have the same brand recognition as giants like Nasdaq or Diligent, which might mean investors take some convincing, but its focus on privacy and compliance makes it a compelling choice for startups in security-conscious industries.
For startups, governance platforms are strategic tools that can safeguard your growth and keep you on the right side of regulators. Whether you opt for an all-in-one powerhouse like Diligent or a cost-effective entry point like BoardPro, the key is to choose a solution that matches your current needs while being flexible enough to grow with you. After all, compliance and risk management should never be an afterthought.