Building a startup?
Get the financial and regulatory decisions right before they become expensive problems.
From your first idea to your first funding round - and from scaling to international expansion - we help founders understand the financial, tax and regulatory decisions that come with building a business.
“No question is too basic.”
Where are you right now?
Select your current stage to jump straight to practical tools, questions and guidance relevant to your startup.
Just Starting
Laying the structural foundation before launch or initial revenue.
- Entity Structure (Pvt Ltd vs LLP)
- Co-Founder Equity & Vesting
- DPIIT Startup Recognition
- Initial Banking & Accounting Setup
Building & Growing
Establishing operational rhythm, tax compliance and cash management.
- Bookkeeping & Invoicing Systems
- GST & TDS Monthly Compliance
- Cash Flow & Burn Rate Tracking
- Vendor & Employee Tax Setup
Raising Funds
Preparing your financial records and cap table for VC or Angel investors.
- Audited Financial Statements
- Clean Cap Table & ESOP Pool
- Investor Due Diligence Readiness
- Valuation & Funding Instruments (CCPS)
Scaling
Institutionalizing financial controls, FP&A and executive reporting.
- Monthly MIS & Board Reporting
- Budget vs Actual Variance Analysis
- CFO & Governance Readiness
- Working Capital Optimization
Going Global
Navigating cross-border capital, foreign investors and international tax.
- FEMA & FDI Regulatory Filings
- NRI & Foreign Founder Structuring
- Export of Services & Cross-Border Tax
- Overseas Entities & ODI Compliance
Preparing for Exit
Maximizing valuation and tax efficiency during M&A or strategic acquisition.
- M&A & Restructuring Advisory
- Capital Gains & Founder Tax Planning
- Transaction Due Diligence Support
- Corporate Governance & Succession
Questions founders usually ask
Clear, practical answers written in plain language. No legal jargon or hidden sales pitches.
If you plan to raise equity capital from investors, grant ESOP options to employees, or limit personal liability, a Private Limited Company is usually mandatory. Most VCs and Angels cannot legally invest in sole proprietorships or standard partnerships.
Pvt Ltd provides distinct legal identity, equity shareholding capability and investor confidence.
How ready is your startup?
Evaluate your startup's finance, tax, compliance and funding readiness across key structural pillars.
Startup Health Assessment
Check all that apply
Founder Toolkit
Interactive calculators, checklists and planning tools built around founder challenges.
STARTING
- Company Incorporation Tracker
21-step SPICe+ milestone checklist with fee schedules.
- Entity Selection Matrix
Pvt Ltd vs LLP comparison guide for founders.
- DPIIT Recognition Checklist
Eligibility check for tax exemption & government benefits.
OPERATING
- Compliance Workspace Engine
Auto-match state & statutory rules for your turnover.
- Statutory Compliance Calendar
GST, TDS, ROC and Income Tax filing deadlines.
- Monthly Tax Checklist
TDS deductions, GST reconciliation and vendor payments.
FUNDRAISING
- Investor Due Diligence Readiness
5-pillar audit prep for corporate, financial & tax records.
- Cap Table & Dilution Calculator
Simulate founder equity after CCPS investment rounds.
- ESOP Structuring Guide
Vesting schedules, exercise price and option pool setup.
FINANCE
- ITR Form & Document Recommender
Determine tax filing regime & document checklist.
- Cash Runway & Burn Calculator
Track net burn rate and months of runway remaining.
- Startup MIS Framework
Monthly P&L, balance sheet and unit economic reporting.
INTERNATIONAL
Form FC-GPR filings, valuation certificates & RBI guidelines.
Setting up international holding structures in US/Singapore.
Zero-rated GST export filing under Letter of Undertaking (LUT).
Repatriable vs non-repatriable share capital regulations.
Startup Stage Map
Key financial and regulatory milestones across every phase of company evolution.
- Entity Selection
- Co-Founder Vesting
- DPIIT Recognition
- IP Ownership
- GST Registration
- TDS Setup
- Accrual Accounting
- Cash Management
- Monthly MIS
- FP&A Modeling
- Working Capital
- Internal Controls
- Cap Table Clean Up
- ESOP Scheme
- Due Diligence
- Audited Financials
- FEMA / FDI
- Overseas Holding
- International Tax
- Transfer Pricing
- M&A Restructuring
- Capital Gains Tax
- Transaction Support
- Succession Planning
Know Your Numbers
Key metrics founders need to track, explain to investors and monitor monthly to build a sustainable venture.
Monthly Recurring Revenue
MRRTotal predictable subscription or recurring revenue generated by active customers in a single month.
Measures monthly momentum and financial stability for SaaS and subscription businesses.
Annual Recurring Revenue
ARRThe annualized value of recurring subscription revenue from active contracts.
Primary metric used by VC investors to benchmark SaaS startup valuations.
Gross Merchandise Value
GMVTotal monetary value of goods or services sold through a marketplace platform over a period.
Indicates total marketplace platform transaction volume before platform fees.
Customer Acquisition Cost
CACThe total cost spent on sales and marketing to acquire a single new paying customer.
Determines sales channel efficiency and dictates marketing budget sustainability.
Customer Lifetime Value
LTVTotal net profit a single customer generates for your business over their entire relationship.
Comparing LTV to CAC proves unit economic viability. Healthy startups target LTV:CAC > 3:1.
Gross Margin
GMThe percentage of revenue retained after deducting direct cost of goods or services sold (COGS).
High gross margin (70%+) provides capital to reinvest into product development and growth.
Contribution Margin
CMRevenue remaining after subtracting all variable operational costs (marketing, shipping, payment gateway).
Shows whether individual transactions contribute positively toward fixed corporate overheads.
Burn Rate
BurnGross Burn is total monthly cash spent. Net Burn is monthly cash loss (Gross Burn minus Revenue Cash Collected).
Controls cash depletion speed and indicates how fast you consume investor capital.
Cash Runway
RunwayThe total number of months your startup can survive before running out of cash at current net burn.
Founders must maintain at least 12-18 months of runway to avoid forced distressed dilution.
Working Capital
WCThe difference between short-term operating assets (receivables, inventory) and short-term liabilities (payables, GST/TDS).
Prevents operational bottlenecks caused by delayed client payments or vendor dues.
EBITDA
EBITDAEarnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization.
Measures core operational profitability without distortion from financing decisions or non-cash charges.
You don't need a CA for everything.
But there are certain critical moments where getting proper advisory early prevents expensive, stressful corrections later.
“We're raising ₹10 Crore.”
The founder is focused on term sheet negotiations, valuation, investor pitch decks and growth projections.
- • Funding Instrument (CCPS vs Equity shares)
- • Valuation Report compliance (Income Tax Rule 11UA)
- • Cap Table dilution & ESOP pool impact
- • FEMA / Foreign direct investment RBI reporting
- • Statutory tax & audit due diligence readiness
Funding & Investor Readiness
Before speaking to investors, ensure the financial and regulatory foundation underneath your story is solid.
Corporate Governance
- Clean Cap Table
- Founder Shareholders Agreement
- Board & EGM Resolutions
- ESOP Scheme Documentation
Financial Accuracy
- Audited Financial Statements
- Bank Reconciliations
- Revenue Quality & ARPU
- Working Capital Records
Tax & Compliance
- Income Tax Filings (ITR-6)
- GST Monthly Reconciliation
- TDS Deduction & Returns
- No Pending Tax Notices
Regulatory & FEMA
- FEMA FDI Compliance
- Form FC-GPR Filings
- DPIIT Recognition Status
- Sectoral Limit Verification
Documentation & IP
- Customer & Vendor Contracts
- IP Assignment to Company
- Employment Contracts
- Accounting System Records
Practical Startup Articles
Curated guides on legal frameworks, tax planning, funding compliance and wealth holding structures written for founders.
Meet CA Aniket Singhal
“I work with early-stage founders on finance, tax and regulatory decisions that are easy to get wrong early and expensive to fix later.”
• Specializes in startup business structuring, ESOP frameworks and tax advisory.
• Practical advisor for early revenue, VC fundraising and cross-border expansion.
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Tailored Professional Support
Every Startup Has A Unique Financial Journey.
We assist founders when independent professional advice is needed - from structuring and investor readiness to compliance and international tax.