A startup data-room structure investors can navigate.

The room should help a guest understand the company, the financing, the evidence behind the story, and the material risks. Keep the top level short and use names that remain clear when downloaded without the surrounding interface.

1. 00 — Start hereInclude a short index, company and round summary, primary contact, document date, and a note explaining any intentionally missing or restricted section.
2. Use stable numbered sectionsNumber the top-level groups so the order survives downloads and exports. Prefer descriptive file names with dates or versions over internal shorthand.
3. Keep one current source of truthReplace obsolete drafts through explicit versions, archive superseded material away from guests, and never leave contradictory current files side by side.

The first substantive sections should explain what the company does, why the market matters, how the product works, what traction exists, and what this financing is intended to accomplish.

1. 01 — Company and financingPitch deck, concise company profile, round size and status, use of funds, target milestones, capitalization overview, and relevant financing history.
2. 02 — Product, market, and evidenceProduct material, roadmap, market analysis, competitive context, customer evidence, traction definitions, and the assumptions behind the operating thesis.
3. 03 — Team and organizationFounder and leadership biographies, organization chart, headcount plan, key employment terms, advisers, and material hiring dependencies.

Diligence slows down when financial periods disagree, legal entities are ambiguous, or signed and draft documents are mixed. Use consistent dates, definitions, and entity names throughout the room.

1. 04 — Financials and operating metricsHistorical statements, current management accounts, forecast, cash and runway, revenue or usage detail, cohort evidence where relevant, and clearly defined KPI calculations.
2. 05 — Corporate and financing documentsFormation records, articles, shareholder and board documents, cap table, prior financing agreements, option plans, and material consents or resolutions.
3. 06 — Commercial, IP, privacy, and riskMaterial customer and supplier contracts, IP ownership, licenses, privacy and security materials, disputes, insurance, regulatory matters, and known obligations.

A complete folder tree is not a reason to expose everything to everyone. Publish deliberately, grant access to named guests, and preserve enough history to know which version and files were available during a conversation.

1. Stage sensitive sectionsKeep the most sensitive customer, employee, IP, or financing documents restricted until the relationship and diligence stage justify access.
2. Test the room as a guestVerify invitation, access code, mobile navigation, every important file, intended download policy, and the support path before publishing.
3. Scan, log, revoke, and retireFail closed on malware scanning, record confirmed visits and file activity, remove access immediately when needed, and delete or archive the room when the process ends.