Best Startup Directories

Introduction

Startup directories serve three different purposes that are easy to confuse: funding databases record who invested, launch platforms create a moment of attention, and talent marketplaces attract candidates. A company usually wants all three at different stages, and submitting to the wrong one at the wrong time produces very little.

A launch platform in particular is a single-day event. It rewards preparation and is largely wasted on a product that is not ready for scrutiny.

Evidence base

Evidence base: 20 of 64 verified directories in the PetroHrys dataset accept startups. Every figure and table on this page is generated from those records at build time. Fields that were never established are shown as Unknown rather than filled in.

Who should use these

Early-stage companies raising capital, launching a product, or hiring, and investors mapping a sector.

Comparison

Best Startup Directories: verified directories, top 12 of 20 by editorial score
Directory	Country	Category	Scope	Submission	Verification required	Review system	PetroHrys Score
Companies House Register	united-kingdom	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	95
ABN Lookup	australia	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	93
Search ASIC registers	australia	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	92
Baza Internetowa REGON	poland	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	91
L'Annuaire des Entreprises	france	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	91
Veřejný rejstřík a Sbírka listin	czech-republic	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	91
Bundesanzeiger	germany	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	90
Gemeinsames Registerportal der Länder	germany	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	90
Registro Imprese	italy	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	90
Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle	france	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	89
USPTO Trademark Search	united-states	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	89
Colegio de Registradores de España	spain	government	national	Not a submission target	Yes	No	88

How to read this list

Funding databases are worth maintaining continuously; launch platforms are worth using once per significant release. Treat a claimed profile on a funding database as a permanent record that will be read by people doing diligence.

Frequently asked questions

Should a startup submit to every directory it can find?

No. The dataset deliberately excludes low-quality SEO submission farms. Listings on a small number of verified directories that a buyer or investor would actually consult are worth more than volume.

Editorial references

Every directory named on this page has its own page recording what was verified, when, by whom, and from which source. Scoring is documented in How the PetroHrys Score Works, and the verification standard in How Directories Are Verified.