1. Startup India Learning Program is a free online entrepreneurship program by Startup India. ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱩᱫᱮᱥ ᱫᱚ ᱩᱫᱷᱚᱢ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮ ᱟᱢᱟᱜ ᱵᱤᱪᱮᱨ ᱠᱩ ᱟᱨ ᱩᱯᱠᱨᱚᱢ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱟᱸᱪᱟᱨ ᱥᱤᱠᱪᱷᱟ ᱫᱟᱨᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱦᱟᱡᱩᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱮᱥᱛᱚᱨ ᱦᱟᱵᱤᱜ ᱥᱮᱴᱮᱨ ᱨᱮᱭ ᱜᱚᱲᱚᱜ-ᱟ. ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱠᱟᱢᱤᱦᱚᱨᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱛ ᱣᱭᱟᱯᱚᱠ 4-ᱰᱵᱞᱩᱮᱯᱷᱹᱮᱥ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤᱦᱚᱨᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱨᱚᱛ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ 40 + ᱪᱮᱛᱟᱱ ᱨᱮ ᱥᱟᱢᱥᱛᱷᱟᱯᱚᱠᱩ ᱫᱟᱨᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱮᱛᱚᱦᱚᱵ ᱟᱠᱟᱫ ᱟᱥᱚᱞ ᱴᱚᱴᱟ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱟᱴ ᱥᱮᱞᱮᱫ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ-ᱟ.

2. Interested individuals can enrol for this free course at learning-and-development_v2.

3. For more courses, please visit l-d-listing.

4. Further,incubators across India are providing guidance to budding startups. There is a list of incubators listed on the Startup India portal for your reference.

ᱦᱮᱸ, ᱵᱮᱜᱚᱨ ᱯᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱤᱠᱟᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱞᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱣᱮᱵᱥᱟᱭᱤᱴ ᱨᱮ ᱮᱥᱴᱟᱨᱴᱚᱯ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱧᱩᱛᱩᱢ ᱚᱞ ᱩᱪᱩ ᱫᱟᱲᱤᱭᱟᱜ-ᱟ. ᱢᱮᱱᱠᱷᱟᱱ, ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱨᱮᱭ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱫᱟ ᱡᱮ ᱧᱩᱛᱩᱢ ᱚᱞ ᱩᱪᱩ ᱚᱠᱛᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱤᱠᱟᱤ ᱨᱮ ᱜᱟᱱᱚᱝ ᱯᱮᱱ ᱮᱢᱟ.

ᱦᱮᱸ. ᱢᱤᱛ ᱦᱚᱲᱟᱜ ᱠᱚᱢᱯᱟᱱᱤ ᱠᱩ ᱫᱚ ᱮᱥᱴᱟᱨᱴᱚᱯ ᱤᱱᱰᱤᱭᱟ ᱮᱛᱚᱦᱚᱵ ᱫᱟᱨᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱞᱟᱵᱷ ᱦᱟᱛᱟᱣ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮ ᱜᱟᱱᱚᱜ-ᱟ.

Yes, a foreign national can enter into a partnership under the LLP Act and get that LLP registered on our website. It can even be recognised by the DIPP.

Only one mobile number and one landline number of the authorised representative of the entity can be provided at the time of registration. The portal and the mobile app would be sending an OTP on the mobile number provided by the user to complete the authentication and registration process.

The process of recognition as a ‘Startup’ is through an online application made over the mobile app/portal at startup_recognition_page.

You will need to upload the incorporation/registration certificate and explain how your startup is working towards innovation, development, or improvement of products, processes, or services, or its scalability in terms of employment generation or wealth creation.

ᱢᱟᱱᱭᱛᱟ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱯᱚᱨᱢᱟᱱ ᱥᱟᱠᱟᱢ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱟᱣ ᱜᱮ ᱟᱣᱮᱫᱚᱱ ᱨᱮ ᱥᱚᱯᱷᱹᱚᱞ ᱥᱚᱫᱚᱨ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ 2 ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤᱦᱚᱨᱟ ᱢᱟᱦᱟ ᱠᱩ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱨᱮ ᱮᱢᱚᱜ-ᱟ.

Yes, if your startup gets recognised, you would be able to download a system-generated verifiable certificate of recognition.

The Inter-Ministerial Board, set up by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, validates Startups for granting tax-related benefits. The Board comprises the following members:

1) ᱠᱚᱞ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱤᱨ ᱵᱮᱯᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱦᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱮᱢ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱠᱷᱚᱸᱡᱟ ᱥᱩᱛᱨᱮᱫ, ᱥᱸᱭᱚᱡᱟᱠ

2) Representative of the Department of Biotechnology, Member

3) Representative of the Department of Science and Technology, Member

ᱵᱳᱨᱰ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱛᱚᱞᱟᱥ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢᱚᱜ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱜᱚᱲᱚᱣᱟᱜ ᱠᱟᱜᱳᱡ (ᱠᱟᱜᱳᱡ ᱠᱩ) ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱮ ᱥᱟᱢᱤᱪᱷᱟᱭᱟ ᱡᱮ ᱪᱮᱫ ᱤᱠᱟᱤ ᱴᱮᱠᱥ ᱣᱟᱥᱩᱞ ᱦᱩᱭᱩᱜ ᱜᱟᱱᱚᱜ ᱵᱤᱡᱱᱚᱥ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱜᱟᱱᱚᱜ-ᱟ.

The inter-ministerial board meeting typically takes place once a month. The cases in the meeting are processed in a serial order. The communication regarding the decision is sent to the registered email address of the Startup.

ᱢᱤᱛ ᱨᱚᱠᱚᱢ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱟᱭᱮᱢᱵᱤ ᱫᱩᱯᱩᱲ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮ ᱚᱯᱰᱮᱴ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱟᱞᱚᱱ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ, ᱟᱢ ᱟᱞᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱣᱮᱵᱥᱟᱭᱤᱴ ᱨᱮ ᱟᱭᱮᱢᱵᱤ ᱥᱩᱪᱱᱟ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮ ᱠᱤᱞᱤᱠ ᱠᱮᱛᱮᱡ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱫᱟᱲᱤᱭᱟᱜ-ᱟhere.

ᱡᱩᱫᱤ ᱢᱟᱱᱭᱛᱟ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱟᱣᱮᱫᱚᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱥᱮᱛᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱪᱤᱱᱦᱮᱠᱟᱜ-ᱟ, ᱛᱚᱵᱮ ᱮᱥᱴᱟᱨᱴᱚᱯ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱫ ᱫᱷᱟᱯ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱟᱞᱚᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱞᱟᱜᱛᱤᱭᱟ:

1) Log in with their startup credentials on www.startupindia.gov.in.

2) Select the ‘Recognition and Tax Exemption’ button on the right panel.

3) ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱚᱣᱮᱫᱚᱱ ᱟᱨᱩ’ ᱵᱚᱴᱚᱱ ᱵᱟᱪᱷᱟᱣ ᱢᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱟᱢᱟᱜ ᱚᱣᱮᱫᱚᱱ ᱯᱩᱨᱮᱣ ᱠᱮᱛᱮᱡ ᱞᱟᱦᱟᱜ ᱢᱮ.

4) If the application has been marked ‘Incomplete’ three times, the application is rejected.

5) ᱵᱟᱝ ᱦᱟᱛᱟᱣ ᱟᱠᱟᱫ ᱟᱣᱮᱫᱚᱱ ᱠᱩ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱟᱨᱩ ᱫᱟᱲᱤᱭᱟᱜ-ᱟ, ᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱦᱟᱛᱟᱣ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱤᱢᱮᱞ ᱫᱟᱨᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱥᱟᱸᱪᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱛᱟᱨᱤᱠᱷ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱯᱮ ᱪᱟᱸᱫᱩ ᱯᱚᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱛ ᱱᱟᱣᱟ ᱛᱮᱢ ᱟᱣᱮᱫᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱡᱚᱢᱟ ᱫᱟᱲᱤᱭᱟᱜ-ᱟ.

ᱮᱥᱴᱟᱨᱴᱚᱯ ᱤᱱᱰᱤᱭᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱣᱮᱵᱥᱟᱭᱤᱴ ᱨᱮ ᱯᱨᱳᱯᱷᱹᱟᱭᱤᱞ ᱧᱩᱛᱩᱢ ᱚᱞ ᱩᱪᱩ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱰᱤ ᱜᱮ ᱟᱞᱜᱟᱣᱟ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ:

1) ᱮᱠᱮᱱ "ᱯᱚᱱᱡᱤᱠᱟᱨᱚᱱ" ᱨᱮ ᱠᱤᱞᱤᱠ ᱢᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱧᱩᱛᱩᱢ ᱚᱞ ᱩᱪᱩ ᱥᱟᱠᱟᱢ ᱨᱮ ᱞᱟᱜᱛᱤᱭᱟᱜ ᱣᱤᱣᱨᱚᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱯᱮᱨᱮᱡ ᱢᱮ. An OTP will be sent to your registered email address, post submitting, and your profile will be created.

2) ᱟᱢ ᱴᱮᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱢᱟᱜ ᱯᱨᱳᱯᱷᱹᱟᱭᱤᱞ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱨᱚᱠᱚᱢ ᱵᱟᱪᱷᱟᱣ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱣᱤᱠᱟᱞᱚᱯ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ-ᱟ. Select “Enabler” as your persona type, and post, and you’ll be asked to specify what type of enabler you are. Select mentor/investor in the drop-down box depending on your objective. The profile goes under moderation for 24-48 hours, and once our quality assurance team has done a preliminary check on your mentor credentials, your profile is made live

As a mentor, you have access to all registered startups across all stages on the Hub. The startups may connect with you through a connection request, post which you can provide your expert advice to the startup on its next steps. To know more, kindly go to the Mentor’s Section.

ᱮᱥᱴᱟᱨᱴᱚᱯ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤ~ᱢᱤᱛ ᱦᱚᱯᱛᱟ ᱨᱮ 3 ᱠᱱᱮᱠᱥᱚᱱ ᱱᱮᱦᱚᱨ ᱠᱩᱞ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱚᱱᱩᱢᱟᱛᱤ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ. ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱮᱠᱮᱱ ᱥᱟᱸᱨᱟᱠᱪᱷᱚᱠ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱨᱳᱯᱷᱹᱟᱭᱤᱞ ᱨᱮ “ᱠᱚᱱᱮᱴ” ᱵᱚᱴᱚᱱ ᱨᱮ ᱠᱤᱞᱤᱠ ᱠᱮᱛᱮᱡ ᱦᱩᱭᱩᱜ-ᱟ. ᱢᱤᱛ ᱵᱟᱨ ᱡᱚᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱟᱢ ᱢᱤᱛ ᱠᱱᱮᱠᱥᱚᱱ ᱱᱮᱦᱚᱨ ᱮᱢ ᱦᱟᱛᱟᱣ, ᱛᱚᱵᱮ ᱮᱥᱴᱟᱨᱴᱚᱯ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱛ ᱥᱟᱫᱷᱟᱨᱚᱱ ᱪᱮᱴ ᱤᱱᱴᱚᱨᱯᱷᱹᱮᱥ ᱫᱟᱨᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱟᱢ ᱴᱮᱱ ᱥᱮᱴᱮᱨ ᱫᱟᱲᱤᱭᱟᱜ-ᱟ. You can learn more about the Startup that has connected with you by clicking on their profile and reading up about them.

While we encourage more engagement on the platform, we can understand that access to high-quality mentor investors like yourself can be overwhelming for some Startups, which may lead to spam. To ensure Startups are conservative and careful with the mentor/investor requests, we restrict each Startup to 3 connection requests each week.

To aid in your mentoring journey, we have pooled together a vast repository of resources ranging from plug-and-play templates to market research reports, which can help both mentors and Startups gauge the opportunity at their disposal better. Feel free to navigate through our repository of resources on the top ribbon of the portal.

To showcase our gratitude towards our mentor’s contribution to India’s startup ecosystem, depending on the quarterly feedback from our Startups, we share commendation letters. Feel free to flaunt these across your social platforms, and don’t forget to tag us!

After a patent application is received by the Patent Office, the facilitator shall submit the claim for fees as per the fee schedule given in the SIPP Scheme. A letter addressed to the Head of Office of the respective Patent Office, giving details of the claimed fee for drafting the application and his ID proof as a registered Patent Agent, shall be submitted along with the invoice.

ᱴᱨᱮᱰ ᱢᱟᱨᱠ ᱧᱩᱛᱢ ᱚᱞ ᱩᱪᱩ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱠᱟᱨᱭᱟᱞᱚᱭ ᱵᱟᱠᱷᱨᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱟᱥᱚᱞ ᱜᱚᱱᱚᱝ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱩᱜᱛᱟᱱ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱥᱩᱣᱤᱫᱷᱟ ᱦᱚᱲᱟᱜ ᱫᱟᱵᱤ ᱥᱚᱫᱚᱨ ᱦᱩᱭᱩᱜ-ᱟ. A letter addressed to the Head of Office of the respective Trade Mark Office, giving details of the claimed fee for drafting of the application and his ID proof as a registered Trade Mark Agent, shall be submitted along with the invoice.

Different investors use different criteria to judge an investment. The importance of these factors would vary depending on the stage of investment, sector of startup, management team, etc. Listed below are typical investment criteria used by investors:

1. Market Landscape: Refers to the addressable market that the startup is catering to.

Factors: Market size, obtainable market share, adoption rate, historical and forecasted growth rates, macroeconomic drivers, demand-supply.

2. Scalability and Sustainability : Startups should showcase the potential upscale in the near future, a sustainable and stable business plan.

Factors: ᱵᱚᱞᱚᱱ ᱨᱮ, ᱩᱰᱩᱠᱚᱜ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱞᱟᱜᱚᱛ, ᱵᱤᱠᱟᱥ ᱫᱚᱨ, ᱩᱥᱟᱨ ᱭᱚᱡᱱᱟ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮ ᱛᱚᱞ ᱢᱮ.

3. Objective and Problem-Solving : The offering of the startup should be differentiated to solve a unique customer problem or to meet customer needs. Ideas or products that are patented showcase deemed potential in the startups.

4. Customers and Suppliers: Laying out your customers and suppliers, helps investors understand your business better.

Factors: ᱜᱨᱟᱦᱚᱠ ᱥᱟᱜᱮᱭ, ᱯᱨᱳᱰᱮᱠᱴ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱪᱤᱯᱪᱤᱯᱷᱟᱴ, ᱵᱤᱠᱨᱮᱛᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱚᱨᱛ ᱠᱩ, ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟᱠᱷᱨᱤᱧ ᱠᱩ.

5. Competitive Analysis: A true picture of competition and other players in the market working on similar things should be highlighted. There can never be an apple-to-apple comparison, but highlighting the service or product offerings of similar players in the industry is important.

Factors: ᱵᱟᱡᱟᱨ ᱨᱮ ᱠᱷᱤᱞᱳᱲᱤ ᱠᱩᱣᱟᱜ ᱞᱮᱠᱷᱟ, ᱵᱟᱡᱟᱨ ᱨᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱜᱤᱫᱟᱨ ᱠᱩ, ᱱᱤᱠᱚᱴ ᱵᱷᱟᱣᱤᱥ ᱨᱮ ᱯᱨᱟᱯᱭ ᱵᱷᱟᱜᱤᱫᱟᱨ ᱠᱩ, ᱯᱚᱨᱛᱤᱮᱥᱯᱟᱨᱫᱷᱟ ᱥᱚᱫᱚᱨ ᱠᱩ ᱛᱟᱞᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱛᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱟᱨᱵᱟᱝᱠᱷᱟᱱ ᱚᱱᱛᱚᱨ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱩᱡᱟᱜᱟᱨ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱯᱨᱳᱰᱮᱠᱴ ᱢᱟᱱᱪᱤᱛᱨᱚᱱ.

6. Sales and Marketing: No matter how good your product or service may be, if it does not find any end use, there is no good.

Factors: Sales forecast, targeted audiences, marketing plan for the target, conversion and retention ratio, etc.

7. Financial Assessment: A detailed business model that showcases the cash inflows over the years, investments required, key milestones, break-even points, and growth rates should be made out well. Assumptions used at this stage should also be reasonable and clearly mentioned.

See sample valuation template here.(to be sourced under templates section)

8. Exit Avenues: A startup showcasing potential future acquirers or alliance partners becomes a valuable decision parameter for the investor.

9. Management and Team: The execution and passion of the founder and the management team to drive the company is equally crucial in addition to all the factors mentioned above.

Investors realise their return on investment from startups through various means of exit. ᱟᱫᱟᱨᱥ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱛᱮ, ᱣᱤᱥᱤ ᱯᱷᱹᱟᱨᱢ ᱟᱨ ᱣᱮᱵᱥᱟᱭᱤᱠ ᱭᱟᱜ ᱱᱤᱣᱮᱥ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱮᱛᱚᱦᱚᱵ ᱨᱮ ᱟᱰᱤ ᱜᱚᱴᱮᱜ ᱱᱤᱠᱟᱥ ᱵᱤᱠᱟᱞᱚᱯ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮ ᱪᱟᱨᱪᱟ ᱦᱩᱭᱩᱜ ᱞᱟᱜᱛᱤ. A well-performing, high-growth startup that also has excellent management and organisational processes is more likely to be exit-ready earlier than other startups.

Venture Capital and Private Equity funds must exit all their investments before the end of the fund’s life. The common exit methods are:

1. Mergers and Acquisitions: The investor may decide to sell the portfolio company to another company in the market. For example, the $140 million acquisition of RedBus by South African Internet and media giant Naspers and its integration with its India arm, Ibibo Group, presented an exit option for its investors, Seedfund, Inventus Capital Partners, and Helion Venture Partners.

2. IPO: An initial public offering is the first time that the stock of a private company is offered to the public. Issued by private companies seeking capital to expand, it is one of the preferred options for investors looking to exit a startup organisation.

3. Exit to Financial Investors: Investors may sell their investment to other venture capital or private equity firms.

4. Distressed Sale: Under financially stressed times for a startup company, the investors may decide to sell the business to another company or a financial institution.

5. Buybacks: Founders of the startup may also buy back their investment from the fund.

ᱴᱚᱨᱢ ᱥᱤᱴ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱛ ᱥᱳᱫᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱮᱛᱚᱦᱚᱵ ᱫᱷᱟᱯ ᱠᱩ ᱨᱮ ᱩᱫᱷᱚᱢ ᱯᱩᱱᱡᱤ ᱥᱟᱠᱟᱢ ᱫᱟᱨᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱯᱨᱟᱥᱛᱟᱣ ᱠᱩ “ᱜᱮᱨ-ᱵᱟᱫᱷᱚᱭᱠᱟᱨᱤ” ᱩᱱᱩᱫᱩᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ. It summarises the major points of engagement in the deal between the investment firm and the startup.

ᱵᱷᱟᱨᱚᱛ ᱨᱮ ᱩᱫᱷᱚᱢ-ᱟᱜ ᱯᱩᱱᱡᱤ ᱞᱮᱱᱫᱮᱱ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱢᱤᱛ ᱴᱚᱨᱢ ᱥᱤᱴ ᱨᱮ ᱡᱟᱣ ᱜᱮ ᱯᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱥᱟᱝᱨᱚᱪᱱᱟ ᱯᱨᱟᱣᱫᱷᱟᱱ ᱥᱮᱞᱮᱫ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱱᱟ: ᱜᱚᱱᱚᱝ, ᱱᱤᱣᱮᱥᱚᱠ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱨᱟᱣᱫᱷᱟᱱ ᱵᱟᱱᱟᱣᱟᱜ, ᱟᱨ ᱯᱩᱱᱡᱤ ᱥᱮᱭᱟᱹᱨ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞ.

1. Value: Startup valuations are the total worth of the company as estimated by a professional valuer. There are various means of valuing a startup company, like the Cost to Duplicate approach, the Market Multiple approach, discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, and the valuation-by-stage approach. Investors choose the relevant approach based on the stage of the investment and the market maturity of the startup.

2. Investment Structure: It defines the mode of venture capital investment in the startup, whether it is through equity, debt, or a combination of both.

3. Management Structure: The term sheet details the management structure of the company, including the composition of the board of directors and prescribed appointment and removal procedures.

4. Changes to share capital: All investors in startups have their own investment timelines, and they accordingly seek flexibility in seeking exit options through subsequent rounds of funding. The term sheet addresses the stakeholders’ rights and obligations with respect to subsequent changes in the company’s share capital.