What is it?
A light risk register so early teams can track threats with owners and actions.
Market & competition
Startup risk matrix
A light risk register so early teams can track threats with owners and actions.
Add items per category, summarize the top risks, then write mitigations and owners.
Market risks
Demand, competition, channels
Product risks
Value, activation, scope
Tech risks
Delivery, scale, dependencies
Finance risks
Burn, revenue, funding
Guide
Surface risk before it surprises you
Why it matters
SWOT names threats; a risk matrix asks for mitigation and ownership.
How it works
Add items per category, summarize the top risks, then write mitigations and owners.
Go deeper
Why you’ll love this
Track threats with actions and owners — not only a SWOT quadrant.
How to jump in
-
Categorize risks
Market, product, tech, finance.
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Priorities
2–3 risks that matter now.
-
Mitigate and own
What you will do and who follows up.
What you walk away with
- Four risk categories
- Mitigation + owner
- Sample included
- Markdown
Where it shines
Weekly review
Walk open risks.
Before fundraising
Pair with funding and runway.
After SWOT
Turn threats into actions.
Quick answers
Numeric likelihood/impact scores?
This version is qualitative and operational — note severity in the item text.
Vs SWOT?
SWOT is a picture; the risk matrix asks for follow-through.