SilkStart

What SilkStart does

SilkStart is a Vancouver-based cloud SaaS provider of association management software (AMS), founded in 2010 and incorporated as SilkStart Technology Inc. in British Columbia. The platform serves trade and professional associations, non-profit organizations, multi-chapter member-based groups, and educational associations, consolidating member management, website/CMS, events, email marketing, invoicing and payments, donations, job board, member directory, and discussion groups into a single integrated suite. The system is built on AWS infrastructure with 256-bit encryption, a responsive web layer built on Twitter Bootstrap, and pre-built integrations with WordPress, Squarespace, Drupal, Joomla, Ecwid, Stripe, PayPal, Bambora, Authorize.net, MailChimp, Olark, Mixpanel, and Google Analytics. The MultiChapter module, described as unique in the market, supports aggregated data and shared functionality across organizations ranging from two chapters to two million members, and the platform is GDPR- and CCPA-compliant with configurable consent fields and data export tools.

SilkStart monetizes primarily through tiered monthly subscriptions priced on active-member and chapter counts (Standard at $241/month annually up to 500 members; Multi-Chapter at $728/month annually up to 10 chapters), supplemented by one-time setup/onboarding fees, hourly custom design and development services, and an Administration Management Online Curriculum ($149 per course or $995 for a 25-lesson bundle). The go-to-market combines a 15-day self-service product-led growth trial with an inside sales team running consultative, webinar-based demos targeting North American Executive Directors and Boards, supplemented by presence at ASAE, CSAE, Metabridge, and VIATEC industry events. Customers span North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, with named users including VIATEC, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (~700 members), Italian American Studies Association, Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism, North Carolina Association for Healthcare Quality, and Los Angeles Venture Association.

The company remains small and private, with headcount of 1–10 employees (7 as of August 2015), offices in Vancouver, Victoria, and Toronto, and a single disclosed $550,000 oversubscribed seed round in July 2015 led by Highline.vc with US and Canadian angel investors (including Boris Wertz / Version One Ventures). Management is led by founder and CEO Shaun Jamieson, previously a senior leader at AbeBooks (acquired by Amazon) and FillZ (acquired by AbeBooks). The company has accumulated recognition including CIX Top 20 (2015), Metabridge Top 15 (2015), VIATEC Technology Awards finalist (2017), and Capterra Top 20 Membership Management Software (2016/2017).

Name

SilkStart

Legal name

SilkStart Technology Inc.

Website

https://silkstart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SilkStart is a Vancouver-based SaaS company providing cloud-based association management software (member management, events, website/CMS, email, payments, donations, job board) to trade associations, non-profits, and multi-chapter member organizations across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Association Management Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Miscellaneous Business Services (7380)

akta.pro primary industry

Application Maintenance & Support (AMS) (BPAEAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Meeting & Event Program Technology (Registration, Apps, Badging) (THACAFAB)

Keywords

• Association management software
• Non-profit software platform
• Membership management system
• Event management software
• Donation management platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Software: Monthly recurring fees based on membership tier (Standard up to 500 members or Multi-Chapter with up to 10 chapters). Annual billing available at discounted rates. Fee structure based on number of active members.
2. Setup & Onboarding Services: One-time setup fees covering data import and either new website creation or integration with existing website. Includes assistance with configuration, membership plan creation, custom fields setup, and payment processor integration.
3. Custom Design & Development: Hourly rates for custom design work and custom feature development. Additional page migration fees beyond included 10 pages at $25/page.
4. Education & Training: Online education curriculum for administrators. Individual courses priced at $149 each or full 25-lesson curriculum for $995. Self-paced online education with certificates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SilkStart provides a cloud-based association management software (AMS) platform for non-profits and member-based organizations. The all-in-one platform combines member management, event ticketing, website CMS, email marketing, donations, job boards, invoicing, and multi-chapter coordination into a single integrated SaaS solution with mobile-friendly responsive design.

Product overview

SilkStart is a cloud-based Association Management Software (AMS) platform that provides a unified suite of integrated modules for member-based organizations. The core platform centers on Member Management, Website and CMS, Events, Email Marketing, Invoicing and Payments, Smart Notifications, MultiChapter, Member Directory, Job Board, MemConnect Groups, Donations, Membership Plans, Ecommerce, Custom Data Collection, Bilingual support, and Mobile-Friendly design. SilkStart offers an Administration Management Online Curriculum as an education add-on and Customer Success Specialist support for onboarding. The platform integrates with WordPress, Squarespace, Ecwid, MailChimp, Facebook, Google Analytics, Olark, Contactology, KISSmetrics, and payment gateways Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, and Bambora.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Management Module for creating membership plans, collecting dues, facilitating renewals, viewing member data, and providing a member directory with permissions-based access for associations and member-based organizations.
• Events Module for creating event landing pages, ticket sales with tiered pricing, discount codes, event reminders, attendee management, and member-created ticketed events.
• Website and CMS Mobile-friendly website builder with WYSIWYG editor, customizable templates, Google Maps integration, video embedding, custom CSS/SCSS support, and SEO-friendly architecture.
• Email Marketing & Smart Notifications Automated email campaigns, renewal reminders, event attendance reminders, receipts, invoices, scheduled email delivery, and newsletter tool with subscriber management and metrics.
• Invoicing and Payments Online invoicing with multiple line items, tax receipts, support for various tax rates, and payment processing through Stripe, PayPal, Bambora, and Authorize.net gateways.
• MultiChapter Management Multi-chapter architecture providing aggregated data and sharing capabilities for organizations with two to many chapters, with consistent security and chapter-level autonomy.
• Member Directory Customizable member directory with selective listings, company profiles with multiple locations, searchable by State/Province, City, and Zip code.
• Job Board

Quantifiable outcome

• Making managing 700 members easy for Georgia Association for Women Lawyers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WordPresscoreTechnology or IntegrationSilkStart integrates with WordPress websites allowing member portal customization to match existing WordPress site. Supports responsive design integration and member management through WordPress.
• SquarespacecoreTechnology or IntegrationSilkStart integrates with Squarespace websites for member management including membership join/renew, member directory, job board, event calendar, and donation campaigns.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationSilkStart uses AWS for global cloud infrastructure with 256-bit encryption, multiple availability zones with independent network connectivity providers, and security compliance standards.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary payment gateway for processing credit card transactions for memberships, events, and donations through SilkStart platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nimble AMS: Association management software purpose-built on Salesforce for trade, professional, and member-based organizations, addressing the same market with comparable capability modules to SilkStart.
• MemberPlanet: Member management platform for groups, clubs, and associations offering membership dues, event ticketing, and communications tools similar to SilkStart's broader feature surface.
• ClubExpress: Club and association management platform offering websites, member directories, events, and email tools for clubs and small associations, competing for the same SMB member-based organization buyer.
• Wild Apricot: Web-based AMS for small and mid-sized associations, clubs, and non-profits. Most direct competitor to SilkStart with similar all-in-one positioning, member management, events, and website tools targeting SMB associations.
• MemberClicks (Personify): Association management software purpose-built for small-staff membership organizations, offering member databases, events, and email tools that mirror SilkStart's core feature set and target buyer.
• Fonteva: Salesforce-native association management platform serving trade associations and member-based organizations with membership, events, and commerce capabilities, overlapping SilkStart's audience and feature surface.
• GrowthZone: AMS designed for chambers of commerce and associations providing member management, event registration, and billing features in the same category as SilkStart's offering.
• Glue Up: Member engagement and association management platform serving chambers, associations, and non-profits globally with member CRM, event management, and mobile app capabilities that overlap SilkStart's offering.

Broad incumbents

• Blackbaud: Large established provider of cloud software for non-profits, foundations, and associations. Operates broadly across fundraising, CRM, financial management, and AMS, overlapping SilkStart primarily through its association-targeted portfolio.
• Salesforce.org (Nonprofit Cloud / NPSP): Enterprise CRM platform with the Nonprofit Success Pack for non-profit member and donor management. A larger, broadly-incumbent player whose nonprofit offering overlaps with SilkStart's member management and donation collection.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silkstart
• Facebookfacebook.com/silkstart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silkstart-technology-inc.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SilkStart