Startup Fundraising Advisory

Fundraising & Captable

Most funding rounds don’t fail because the business is weak — they fail because the founder wasn’t investor-ready. Messy financials, a rushed pitch deck, or an unclear captable can quietly kill investor confidence before you even get to the term sheet. 

Investor Readiness

4 Services

Startup Due Diligence

Get pre-funding due diligence done on your own startup to catch and fix red flags before investors do.

Pitch Deck Preparation

Get a professionally structured pitch deck that tells your story and numbers the way investors expect.

Financial Modelling

Get a defensible financial model built for fundraising, covering projections, unit economics, and runway.

iSAFE Notes

Structure your seed round with iSAFE notes — a fast, India-compliant alternative to a priced equity round.

Fundraising Support & Advisory

4 Services

Grants & Subsidies Advisory

Identify and apply for government grants and subsidy schemes your startup is eligible for, beyond equity funding.

Virtual CFO Services

Get ongoing CFO-level financial oversight without the cost of a full-time hire — ideal ahead of a funding round.

Angel Investor Connect

Get introduced to angel investors actively looking to fund early-stage startups in your sector.

VC Advisory & Connect

Get advisory support and warm introductions to venture capital firms aligned with your stage and sector.

Understanding startup and business fundraising

What this section covers

Raising money for a private company in India involves two parallel tracks: persuading investors, and completing the legal steps correctly. This section covers both.

On the investor side, founders typically prepare a pitch deck, a financial model showing assumptions and projections, and a data room for investor due diligence. Depending on stage, capital may come from angel investors, venture capital funds registered with SEBI as alternative investment funds, or government schemes such as the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme run by DPIIT and various grant and subsidy programmes.

On the legal side, the Companies Act, 2013 governs how shares or convertible instruments are issued. Section 42 sets the private placement process, and Section 62 covers further issues of share capital, including preferential allotment. When the investor is a non-resident, the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 add pricing and reporting conditions. Eligible startups can also issue convertible notes to non-residents, generally for ₹25 lakh or more in a single tranche and convertible within ten years, as per the RBI’s current Master Direction on Foreign Investment.

Instruments such as iSAFE notes, compulsorily convertible preference shares and convertible notes each carry different company law, tax and FEMA consequences, so the choice of instrument is part of the planning.

Who needs these services

  • Early-stage founders preparing for a first round from friends, family or angel investors.
  • Growing startups approaching venture capital funds for seed, Series A or later rounds.
  • MSMEs and startups exploring government grants, subsidies or seed support.
  • Businesses without a full-time finance head who need structured reporting and investor-ready accounts.
  • Investors who want an independent review of a startup before committing funds.

How to choose between the services

  • If you are preparing to meet investors for the first time, start with a pitch deck and financial modelling; together they explain the opportunity and the numbers behind it.
  • If you are raising a small, early round quickly, iSAFE notes or similar convertible instruments may be simpler than a priced equity round, though conversion terms need care. For introductions and terms at this stage, see angel investors.
  • If you are ready for an institutional round, VC advisory covers preparing for term sheets, negotiation points and closing documents.
  • If you are an investor, or a founder wanting to fix issues before investors find them, startup due diligence reviews corporate records, contracts, compliance and cap table.
  • If non-dilutive funding suits you, grants and subsidies covers government schemes, which have their own eligibility conditions and selection processes.
  • If you need ongoing financial management through and after the raise, a virtual CFO service covers MIS, budgeting and investor reporting.

Funding decisions rest entirely with investors and scheme authorities. Expertvuw assists with documentation and coordination; statutory filings and valuation certificates are issued by independent professionals where the law requires.

Frequently asked questions

What is an iSAFE note?

An iSAFE (India Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is an instrument adapted for Indian law from the SAFE used in the United States. It is usually structured as compulsorily convertible preference shares, so the investor holds a security that later converts into equity at a future priced round. Because it is a share issue, the Companies Act, 2013 and, for foreign investors, FEMA rules apply.

How many investors can a private company approach through private placement?

Under Section 42 of the Companies Act, 2013 and the related rules, a private placement offer can generally be made to a limited number of identified persons in a financial year, excluding qualified institutional buyers and employees under ESOPs. The offer must follow the prescribed process, including a separate bank account and filing of the return of allotment. Check the current rules for the exact limit.

Can a startup take money from a foreign investor through convertible notes?

Yes, if the company is a startup recognised under the government’s notification. As per the RBI’s current Master Direction on Foreign Investment, a non-resident can invest ₹25 lakh or more in a single tranche, and the note must convert or be repaid within ten years. Sectoral restrictions still apply, and the investment has to be reported to the RBI.

Is angel tax still applicable to startups?

The provision that taxed share premium received by closely held companies above fair market value, commonly called angel tax, was withdrawn by the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024 for assessment year 2025-26 onwards. Valuation still matters for company law and FEMA pricing, and past years may still be open to assessment, so earlier rounds should be reviewed separately.

What is the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme?

It is a DPIIT scheme that routes funds through selected incubators to early-stage startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials and market entry. Support may be a grant or debt or convertible instruments, depending on the stage. Eligibility conditions, such as DPIIT recognition and the age of the startup, apply, and selection is made by the incubators and scheme committees.