Startup and VC Investment Advisory in India
Counsel for founders raising, and investors writing the cheque.
What this engagement covers
Startup and VC Investment Advisory in India, End-to-End.
End-to-end legal support for startups, founders, foreign venture capital firms and international investors backing Indian companies — from incorporation and SAFE / seed rounds through priced equity rounds, ESOPs, secondary sales, structured exits and IPO readiness. We sit on both sides of the table and structure transactions that close cleanly and survive due diligence at the next round.
Our process
From First Call to Final Order
Confidential Intake
30-min discovery call on phone or Zoom. We confirm scope, urgency and fee on the same call.
Diligence & Strategy
Document review, record retrieval and a written strategy note — including timeline, risks and milestones.
Documentation & Filing
Drafting, apostille, Power of Attorney, registration and filing handled end-to-end by a named matter lead.
Representation
Court, tribunal, registrar or counterparty representation — with weekly written updates across time-zones.
Closure & Handover
Final order, registered deed or settlement, plus a sealed matter file and post-closure compliance calendar.
Why IndusGuard
Built for Matters That Cross Borders
One named matter lead
No call-centre, no hand-offs. A senior advocate owns your file end-to-end.
NRI desks across 8 countries
Overlapping US, UK, Gulf and APAC hours — apostille and POA built into every workflow.
Weekly written updates
Plain-language progress notes, secure document portal and milestone-based fees.
Pan-India bar coverage
Empanelled counsel across High Courts, NCLT, DRT and the Supreme Court of India.
Where we serve
A Global NRI Desk, Anchored in India.
We act for clients across 8+ countries and represent matters in every major Indian jurisdiction — High Courts, NCLT, DRT and the Supreme Court.
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- UAE
- Australia
- Singapore
- Germany
- Saudi Arabia
- Kolkata
- Mumbai
- Delhi NCR
- Bengaluru
- Chennai
- Hyderabad
- Pune
- Pan-India
Common questions
Before You Call
We are a foreign VC writing our first Indian cheque — what do you handle?+
IndusGuard coordinates the complete India-side process: entity selection and FDI route confirmation, legal and regulatory diligence on the investee company, term sheet review, SAFE or CCPS documentation, shareholder agreement, conditions precedent management, FC-GPR FEMA reporting post-investment, and post-closing governance rights. Coordination with your overseas counsel and tax advisors is standard.
Can you help us flip up to a Delaware or Singapore parent?+
Yes. IndusGuard handles the Indian-side share-swap transaction, FEMA approvals for outbound investment under the ODI regulations, round-tripping compliance review, and tax positioning — coordinated with your overseas counsel and chartered accountants.
What is a SAFE note and is it valid under Indian law?+
A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is a convertible instrument that gives an investor the right to convert their investment into equity at a future priced round. SAFEs are not explicitly regulated under Indian company law, which creates complexity for Indian-incorporated entities. For Indian startups, CCPS (Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares) is the more common and FEMA-compliant instrument for pre-Series A investment.
What is FC-GPR and when must it be filed?+
FC-GPR (Foreign Currency — Gross Provisional Return) is the RBI reporting form filed by an Indian company within 30 days of receiving FDI and allotting shares to a foreign investor. It is filed on the RBI's FIRMS portal through the Authorised Dealer bank. Late filing attracts penalties. IndusGuard coordinates FC-GPR filing as a standard part of every inbound investment transaction.
What are the FEMA pricing guidelines for FDI into Indian startups?+
Under FEMA pricing guidelines, shares of an Indian unlisted company cannot be issued to a foreign investor at a price lower than the fair market value determined by a SEBI-registered merchant banker or chartered accountant using internationally accepted valuation methodologies. The FMV creates a floor price — investors cannot invest at a discount below FMV.
Can NRI founders hold shares in their Indian startup?+
Yes. NRIs can hold shares in Indian companies under the FDI policy on a non-repatriation basis (treated as domestic investment, no FEMA reporting required) or on a repatriation basis (subject to FDI sectoral caps and FEMA reporting). For NRI founders, the choice of basis affects how they can eventually repatriate sale proceeds when the startup is acquired or they exit.
What is an ESOP plan and what are the FEMA implications for NRI employees?+
An Employee Stock Option Plan grants employees the right to purchase company shares at a predetermined price after a vesting period. For NRI employees of Indian companies, exercising ESOPs involves receiving shares of an Indian company. If the NRI subsequently wants to transfer these shares to a foreign account or receive sale proceeds abroad, FEMA repatriation rules and FC-TRS reporting requirements apply.
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