🚀 Startup Law

Legal Infrastructure for Founders. Built for Growth.

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Practice Overview

Our Startup Law Practice

Building a startup is hard enough. Legal problems should not slow you down. Our Startup Law practice provides founders with practical, commercially-aware legal support at every stage — from incorporation through to your Series A and beyond.

What We Handle

Scope of Our Startup Law Services

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Incorporation & Entity Structuring

Choosing the right entity, incorporation of private limited companies, LLPs and DPIIT-recognised startups, founders agreements, initial equity allocation and vesting schedules.

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Founder Agreements & Co-Founder Dynamics

Drafting robust co-founder agreements covering IP assignment, roles, equity vesting with cliff and acceleration, decision-making rights and exit mechanisms.

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Funding Round Documentation

Term sheet review, SHA/SSA drafting for angel, seed and Series A rounds — covering valuation, anti-dilution, board rights, liquidation preference, ESOP and investor covenants.

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Commercial Contracts for Startups

Customer agreements, SaaS terms of service, vendor contracts, partnership agreements, NDA management and standard commercial contracts tailored for early-stage ventures.

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ESOP Plans & Employee Equity

Designing ESOP plans, drafting ESOP trust deeds and grant letters, advising on tax implications and managing employee equity documentation.

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Regulatory Compliance for Startups

DPIIT startup recognition, FEMA compliance for foreign investment, GST registration, labour law compliance, DPDP Act and sector-specific regulatory requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Startup Law — Questions Answered

Common questions about startup law in India. Book a consultation for specific advice.

When should I involve a lawyer in my startup journey?+

Ideally from day one — or at least before you sign anything. The most costly startup legal mistakes happen early: wrong entity choice, poorly drafted founder agreements, missing IP assignments, or accepting investor term sheets without legal review. Early legal investment protects your equity and IP.

What is vesting and why does it matter?+

Vesting is a mechanism whereby a founder or employee earns their equity over time, typically over 4 years with a 1-year cliff. It protects the company if one founder leaves early. Without vesting, a departing founder could walk away with a large equity stake — a major red flag for investors.

What should I know before signing a term sheet?+

Key terms to scrutinise: pre/post-money valuation and dilution, liquidation preference, anti-dilution provisions, board composition and investor veto rights, ROFR/co-sale rights and drag-along provisions. Never sign a term sheet without legal review.

Does my startup need to comply with the DPDP Act?+

Yes, if your startup collects, processes or stores personal data of Indian users, the DPDP Act 2023 applies. This includes requirements around lawful data processing, privacy notices, data principal rights and breach notification. We help startups build DPDP compliance into their product architecture.

What is DPIIT startup recognition and what are its benefits?+

DPIIT recognition certifies your entity as a Startup under the Startup India programme. Benefits include income tax exemption under Section 80-IAC, angel tax exemption under Section 56(2)(viib), simpler winding-up process, self-certification for labour compliance and access to government procurement.

Knowledge Centre

Related Insights

Insights on startup law from our legal team.

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