Template

Startup board meeting template

The quarterly meeting of an early-stage company's founders and investors: the numbers, what is working and what is not, the one or two big decisions, and what the founders need help with.

120 minutesFor Founders, investor directors, any independent director and the company secretary or a note-takerAgenda room

Change the agenda first

The agenda, with a time for each part

The quarter in one page15 min
- What happened, honestly, in three bullet points?
Numbers and cash20 min
- How many months of cash do we have, and what is growth doing?
What is working, what is not25 min
- What surprised us, good and bad?
The big question35 min
- What decision do we need the board's view on?
Formal approvals10 min
- Option grants, accounts, policies — anything to vote on?
Where the board can help15 min
- Which introductions or advice would help most this quarter?

How the notes read afterwards

A made-up example, so you can see the shape. In a real call each line carries the words that were said and who said them.

One page. Revenue up 30%; churn up too; one key hire made.

Cash. 16 months.

Big question. Raise now on current numbers, or wait six months for better ones?

Approvals. Options for three new hires.

Help. Two introductions to enterprise buyers (Maria); a recruiter for the sales head (Jon).

Running it well

Send the board pack a few days early and do not present it slide by slide. Use the meeting for the questions and the big decision.
Lead with bad news. Boards lose trust when they hear problems late, not when they hear problems.
End with specific asks — introductions, hires, advice — with a board member's name next to each.

Ways to change it

Monthly update insteadBetween meetings, a one-page email with numbers, highlights, problems and asks.

Before a raiseAdd a session on the fundraising plan and story.

When to skip it. Never skip the quarterly board meeting if your agreements require it; keep it short if little has changed.

Questions

What happens at a startup board meeting?

The founders report on results, cash and progress; the board discusses major decisions and risks, approves formal matters, and offers help.

How often do startup boards meet?

Commonly every quarter, sometimes monthly in very early or difficult periods.

What is in a board pack?

A summary of the period, key numbers and cash, progress against goals, problems, the decisions needed and any formal approvals.

What happens in the room

Everybody joins from the link, with no account. The agenda sits beside the call and each item fills in with what was said about it, under the name of the person who said it.

More templates

Fundraising kickoffBefore raising money: agree how much, why now, the story, which investors to approach in what order, who does what, and how the business keeps running while the founders raise.Due diligence callAn investor or buyer works through a company's details — numbers, customers, technology, legal — to check that what they were told is true, and the company answers clearly and in order.Shareholder meeting (private company)A meeting of a private company's shareholders to vote on matters only they can decide — such as new share issues, changes to the company's rules, or a sale — following the notice and voting rules in the company's documents.Grant review meetingA funder's panel reviews grant applications against its published criteria, discusses the borderline ones, declares any conflicts, and decides who gets funded and how much.Donor meetingA conversation with a supporter or possible major donor: thank them, show what their support made possible, listen to what they care about, and — when it fits — ask for the next gift.Board meetingHighlights, the numbers, the asks, and the votes — in that order.Investor update callFor the people who put money in: the numbers, what went wrong, and what you need from them.Nonprofit board meetingFor a charity or association board: approve the minutes, the money, the reports and the votes — in order, and on the record.

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