Why Your Cap Table Looks Clean But Isn’t
Key Takeaways A cap table that reconciles in Excel is not the same as a cap table that survives due diligence. Six structural issues commonly hide inside what founders describe as "clean". The most expensive…
The 95-Document Due Diligence Checklist for Indian Startup Fundraising (2026)
Key Takeaways Series A due diligence typically reviews 80 to 100 documents across 8 categories: corporate, financial, tax, regulatory, IP, HR, commercial, and compliance. Most Indian startups have 30 to 40 of these ready when…
SEBI AIF Amendment 2026: What Founders Need to Know About the New Inoperative Fund Framework
Key Takeaways SEBI notified the AIF Second Amendment Regulations 2026 on April 15, 2026, creating an "Inoperative Fund" classification for AIFs that cannot deploy capital in time. Regulation 29 now requires every AIF to file…
Delaware Flip vs Reverse Flip: The Tax Math Nobody Does
Key Takeaways A Delaware Flip moves the parent company to the US. A Reverse Flip moves it back to India. The Delaware Flip triggers Indian capital gains tax at an effective rate of about 14.95…
Transfer Pricing for Indian Startups: The Plain English Guide
Note: All section references in this article are to the Income-tax Act 2025 (effective April 1, 2026), which has re-enacted the corresponding provisions of the Income-tax Act 1961 without substantive change to the transfer pricing…
ROC Jurisdiction Re-alignment 2026: How Founders and Their CAs Should Use the V3 Master Data Window Before the September AOC-4 Wave
If you are a founder or a finance leader running multi-state operations across India, your registered office may now sit under a different ROC than the one printed on your incorporation certificate. The MCA quietly…
FEMA Compounding Penalties: What Indian Startup Founders Need to Know
Key Takeaways FEMA penalties can be up to 3x the contravention amount for ongoing violations. RBI's compounding facility lets you self-report and settle penalties before enforcement action. The compounding fee depends on the contravention amount,…
ESOP Taxation for Indian Startups: Complete 2026 Guide
Key Takeaways ESOPs in India are not taxed at the time of grant. The tax event happens later. At exercise, the difference between Fair Market Value (FMV) and exercise price is taxed as perquisite (salary…
CCFS-2026: The MCA Amnesty Scheme Opens Tomorrow. Here Is How Your Startup Should Respond.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs just opened a door that many defaulting companies did not expect. If your startup has a dormant Pvt Ltd entity sitting with unfiled annual returns, or if you are a…
RBI Merges VRR into General Route: What the New FPI Debt Limits Mean for Your Startup’s Foreign Debt Strategy
If your startup has ever explored raising foreign debt, or if your CA has advised foreign portfolio investors on Indian allocations, the compliance landscape just shifted. RBI's A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 05, dated April…