Startup org chart template
Early-stage companies are flat: a founder or two at the top, a handful of people who each own a function, and a list of roles that do not exist yet. This template starts from that shape so you can put your own names in and plan the next hires on the same chart.
Open the startup org chart template
It opens in the free editor as a people sheet. Replace the names, add rows for new hires, and mark planned positions as open roles.
Create Your Org Chart FreeWhat a startup org chart usually looks like
At the seed and Series A stage most people report directly to a founder. Instead of departments with managers, you have owners: one person for product, one for engineering, one for sales or growth, sometimes one for operations and finance. Under each owner sit one to five people.
The chart is wide and shallow. That is a feature, not a problem: short reporting lines are why small companies move fast.
Plan hires on the chart
The most useful thing a startup org chart does is show the gaps. Add a row for every role in your hiring plan and mark it as an open role; it is drawn as an empty, dashed seat under the person it will report to. Investors, candidates, and your own team can then see who is coming and where they will sit.
- Put open roles under the manager they will actually report to, not under the founder by default.
- Give each open role a real title, such as "Senior backend engineer", so the chart doubles as a hiring plan.
- Update the chart when someone joins: fill in the name and switch the seat from open to filled.
When a startup outgrows this template
Once a founder has more than eight or so direct reports, or functions start to need their own managers, the chart gets a second layer: heads of engineering, product, and sales who manage teams. At that point the tech company template is usually the better starting point.
More versions on QueryChart
QueryChart, the platform OrgTree.app is built on, keeps the full org chart library: this structure with a detailed guide to its roles and trade-offs, plus hundreds of charts by company, department, industry and structure type.
Frequently asked questions
What should a startup org chart include?
Founders at the top, the person who owns each function, everyone who reports to them, and open roles for planned hires. Titles matter more than departments at this stage.
Should co-founders be side by side on the chart?
If they share the top, yes: draw them as a small leadership team at the root. If one is CEO and the other reports to them, draw that honestly; the chart is most useful when it matches how decisions are made.
Is this startup org chart template free?
Yes. It opens in the free OrgTree.app editor with no signup and saves in your browser.
Ready to chart your team?
The editor opens with a starter org chart. List your people one per row, and the chart rebuilds itself as you type. No signup required to get started.
Create Your Org Chart Free