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Startup Advisory
Startup Advisory India — DPIIT Recognition, Funding & Compliance
From DPIIT recognition to your Series A, we structure your startup for capital-efficient growth with the right tax, FEMA and equity scaffolding.
Regi Tom Antony's view
Founders often settle the cap table and the founders' agreement too late. Agree vesting, roles and IP assignment before the first investor conversation, because investors will ask about them on day one.
What we deliver
1
DPIIT recognition and section 140 tax-holiday eligibility (formerly section 80-IAC); separate IMB approval required
2
Funding structure — CCPS, CCD, valuation reports
3
FEMA — FC-GPR, FC-TRS and annual FLA returns
4
ESOP design u/s 62(1)(b) — pool, vesting, exercise
5
Investor MIS and live cap table
6
Tax exemption planning and term-sheet review
How we engage
Scope-based fee, confirmed in writing
Fees depend on the nature and complexity of the work, number of entities and countries, transaction volume, reporting frequency, deadlines, and whether the engagement is ongoing or one-off. After an initial discussion we send a written engagement letter setting out the scope, deliverables, timelines and fee.
Request a QuoteWhat startup advisory covers
Startup advisory is ongoing finance, tax and compliance support for founders from incorporation to the first institutional round. The aim is to avoid the mistakes that cost the most later: wrong entity type, founder shares without vesting, unfiled share allotments, missed GST or TDS filings, and books that cannot survive investor diligence.
DPIIT recognition and its benefits
A private limited company, LLP, registered partnership or cooperative society can apply for recognition as a startup with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the 4 February 2026 notification: up to 10 years and turnover up to Rs200 crore, or deep-tech limits of 20 years and Rs300 crore, and is working on innovation, improvement or a scalable business model. Recognition can open up:
- Section 140 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (formerly section 80-IAC of the 1961 Act) allows 100% of profits for any 3 consecutive years out of the first 10 for an eligible company or LLP incorporated on or after 1 April 2016 and before 1 April 2030, with turnover not exceeding Rs100 crore in the relevant year and an Inter-Ministerial Board certificate. DPIIT recognition alone does not grant the deduction.
- Self-certification under certain labour and environmental laws.
- Faster patent examination and fee concessions, and easier access to government procurement.
- Eligibility to issue convertible notes.
Figures and timelines above reflect our understanding at the time of writing; confirm against the latest Act, Rules and notifications before relying on them.
See Startup India registration for the application itself.
A typical first-year roadmap
- Months 0 to 1: incorporation, founder agreement with vesting, bank account, GST if required.
- Months 1 to 3: accounting system, payroll set-up, TDS compliance, intellectual property assigned to the company.
- Months 3 to 12: monthly MIS, ESOP pool design, first statutory audit and annual ROC filings, investor-ready data room.
Founders preparing to raise should also read our founder's guide.
Practical questions
Is DPIIT recognition worth it for a services company?
It depends on whether the business genuinely meets the innovation criteria. Recognition alone does not give the tax holiday, which needs separate approval.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Related services
Guides & Resources
What investors examine before writing a cheque.
12 steps after incorporation.
Founders in Kerala: meet our team in Kakkanad
For local support, see Founders in Kerala: meet our team in Kakkanad at Regi Tom Antony & Associates.