#Japan #Tokyo #SmartRound #Shareholder Agreements #Startup Solutions

SmartRound Unveils Innovative Features for Shareholder Agreements

SmartRound, a pioneering firm headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, led by CEO Hiroshi Sunakawa, has announced a significant enhancement to its platform that focuses on streamlining shareholder agreements. This release includes a pre-notification feature tailored to meet the requirements often outlined in such agreements. Additionally, the company is set to roll out the pre-consultation feature in the near future, designed to facilitate communication between shareholders.

Background: The Need for Enhanced Communication

In the fast-moving world of startups, effective communication and decision-making processes are crucial. When startups secure investment, they often enter into complex investment contracts and shareholder agreements that stipulate the need for prior consent, consultations, or notifications from shareholders regarding significant business decisions. Initially, SmartRound provided a functionality that catered to obtaining shareholder approval. However, user feedback revealed challenges; some users indicated that situations merely required notifications rather than formal consent. Others mentioned difficulties in managing different responses from various shareholders.

The introduction of the pre-notification and pre-consultation features arises from these insights, allowing SmartRound to comprehensively support all steps involved in decision-making within startups, regardless of the contract conditions.

Overview of the New Features

Pre-Notification Feature (Released Today)

The newly released pre-notification feature is designed to help startups comply with the obligations stated in shareholder agreements that require advance notification of specific decisions or actions. This feature does not necessitate any response or approval from shareholders; instead, it focuses solely on managing the record of notification.

Key Functions:

• - Creation of Pre-Notifications: Users can easily draft notifications by setting the notification date, subject matter, and any relevant attachments, step by step.
• - Sending Pre-Notifications: Once created, these notifications can be sent to shareholders directly. The platform allows for individual tracking of notification statuses for each shareholder, simplifying the verification process of who has received or not received the notification, and it enables straightforward resending.
• - Record Management: A dedicated interface allows users to view organized notifications, showing the number of shareholders contacted and the content of those notifications at a glance.

Pre-Consultation Feature (Upcoming)

In addition to pre-notification, SmartRound is developing a pre-consultation feature aimed at managing the documentation of discussions with investors before resolutions. This function focuses on ensuring that records of consultations are preserved without the need for formal approvals.

Key Functions:

• - Creation of Pre-Consultations: Similar to pre-notifications, users can establish details regarding consultation dates, subjects, and attachments step by step.
• - Recording and Saving Consultations: The contents of these discussions can be logged and stored efficiently within the platform.

Future Development

SmartRound's commitment extends beyond these new features. The company plans to further enhance the entire resolution workflow to improve the synergy of information sharing between investors and startups. By streamlining governance processes, SmartRound aims to bolster the growth of Japan’s startup ecosystem and assist startups in navigating their operational complexities more efficiently.

About SmartRound

SmartRound is a platform dedicated to optimizing interactions between startups and investors through data creation and sharing. Currently, it serves over 7,500 startups and more than 4,600 investors, including venture capital firms and individual investors. For more information, visit the SmartRound Service Site.

Corporate Information

SmartRound is on a mission to create a world where startups can maximize their potential:

• - Company Name: SmartRound, Inc.
• - Address: Marunouchi North Exit Building 9F, 1-6-5 Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo
• - Established: May 30, 2018
• - CEO: Hiroshi Sunakawa
• - Corporate Website: SmartRound Corporate
• - Careers: SmartRound Jobs

For inquiries or interview requests pertaining to this release or the company, please contact the SmartRound PR team at [email protected].