Start-up Advisory
Founder agreements, fundraising documents, ESOPs, DPIIT recognition and compliance for early-stage companies.
Start-up advisory is the legal work that lets an early-stage company raise money, hire and sell without creating problems for itself later: founder agreements, share subscription and shareholder agreements, employee stock option plans, customer terms and data policies.
Abdullah Akhtar advises founders from the first structuring decision onwards. The firm has acted for start-ups in medical supplies, data storage and management, e-mobility and consumer products, and understands what investors and acquirers will later look for in a company's paperwork.
We keep documents proportionate to the stage. A pre-seed company does not need a fifty-page shareholders' agreement, but it does need clear founder vesting, IP assignment and a cap table that is correct.
What we handle
- Incorporation and choice of structure
- Founder agreements with vesting and IP assignment
- Term sheets, SSAs and SHAs at seed and Series A
- ESOP plan drafting and administration
- DPIIT Startup India recognition and tax benefit applications
- Customer terms, privacy policies and platform compliance
Frequently asked questions
What documents does a start-up need before raising its first round?
A clean incorporation file, a founders' agreement with vesting, IP assignment deeds from everyone who has written code or created content, an accurate cap table, and basic statutory compliance up to date. Investors' lawyers will ask for all of these in due diligence.
What does DPIIT recognition give a start-up?
Eligibility to apply for the tax holiday under Section 80-IAC, the angel tax exemption, self-certification under certain labour and environmental laws, faster patent and trademark examination with fee rebates, and easier public procurement.
Who handles this
Related insights
- ESOPs in Indian Start-ups: The Legal Framework and Common MistakesAn ESOP is the standard tool for hiring when cash is short, but the plan must comply with company law and the tax treatment surprises many employees.08 July 2025
- The Founders' Agreement: What Every Indian Start-up Should Settle Before Raising MoneyMost start-up disputes we see trace back to something the founders never wrote down.24 June 2025
The information on this page is general and does not constitute legal advice. Limitation periods and procedures depend on the facts of each matter; please take advice before acting.