Startup Services · Consultation

Startup Consultation structure your business right from the start.

One-on-one advisory for founders — covering entity selection, shareholding structure, co-founder agreements, vesting schedules, regulatory registrations, and the first-year compliance calendar — so you build on a solid legal and commercial foundation.

Every startup faces the same critical decisions in its early months — and the choices made at incorporation are far harder and more expensive to undo later. Which entity structure is right for this business? How should the co-founders split equity — and what happens if someone leaves? Do we need a shareholders' agreement before accepting money from an angel? What registrations do we need before we can start selling? When do we need to file our first ROC return?

These are not just legal questions — they are commercial ones. The answers depend on the business model, the founders' backgrounds, the planned investor base, the revenue model, and the regulatory environment in the startup's sector. A generic answer is rarely the right one.

At Beyonte Compliances, our startup consultation service is a structured advisory engagement — not a checklist handout. We spend time understanding the business, the founders' objectives, and the growth plan — and then provide specific, actionable guidance on entity structure, equity, agreements, registrations, and compliance. The goal is a startup that is legally sound, investor-ready, and compliant from its first day of operations.

What Our Startup Consultation Covers

Entity Selection Advisory

Structured comparison of Private Limited Company, LLP, and other structures — based on the startup's funding plans, team composition, regulatory requirements, and tax profile — with a clear recommendation.

Shareholding & Equity Structure

Advising on the founding team's equity split — including considerations of role, contribution, and future dilution — and structuring the cap table for angel and VC investment readiness.

Co-Founder Agreement

Drafting a co-founder agreement — covering equity vesting, roles and responsibilities, IP assignment, non-compete, exit triggers, and dispute resolution — before incorporation or at the earliest stage.

ESOP Plan Design

Designing an Employee Stock Option Plan for the startup — pool size, vesting schedule, exercise price, and tax implications under Section 62 of the Companies Act and the Income Tax Act.

Founders' IP Assignment

Ensuring all intellectual property created by the founders — code, designs, content, inventions — is properly assigned to the company at incorporation, preventing future ownership disputes.

Regulatory Registration Map

Mapping all registrations required for the startup's specific sector and business model — GST, DPIIT recognition, Udyam, FSSAI, RBI, SEBI, or sector-specific licences — with a priority sequence and timeline.

First-Year Compliance Calendar

Building the startup's first-year compliance calendar — board meetings, ROC filings, GST returns, TDS, director KYC, and all mandatory filings — so nothing is missed in the critical first year.

Investor Readiness Review

Reviewing the startup's cap table, statutory registers, agreements, and compliance record from an investor's due diligence perspective — and identifying gaps before the first fundraise.

Our Process

Founder Briefing

A structured conversation with the founding team — understanding the business model, team composition, funding plans, and sector — before any advice is given.

Advisory Report Preparation

Preparing a written advisory report covering entity structure, equity, agreements, registrations, and the first-year compliance calendar — specific to the startup's situation.

Report Presentation & Discussion

Walking the founders through the advisory report — answering questions, discussing trade-offs, and agreeing on the action plan.

Implementation Support

Executing the agreed action plan — incorporating the entity, drafting agreements, filing registrations, and setting up the compliance calendar.

Ongoing Advisory

Remaining available for follow-on questions as the startup grows — on fundraising documents, new hires, regulatory changes, and compliance obligations.

Why It Matters

✓Entity structure chosen for the specific business — not a default answer

✓Cap table structured for angel and VC investment readiness from day one

✓Co-founder agreement drafted before equity becomes a dispute

✓ESOP plan designed with tax implications considered

✓IP assignment prevents founder ownership disputes post-funding

✓All sector-specific registrations identified and prioritised

✓First-year compliance calendar — nothing missed in the critical first year

✓Investor readiness review before the first fundraise

Frequently Asked Questions

Ideally before — the entity structure, shareholding, and co-founder agreement decisions are far easier and cheaper to get right at the start than to fix after incorporation. However, if the company is already incorporated, a post-incorporation consultation can identify and correct structural issues before they become investor or compliance problems.

Yes — precisely because co-founders trust each other at the outset. A co-founder agreement documents the terms of the relationship when everyone agrees on them — vesting, roles, IP, and exit mechanics. Disputes almost always arise when the relationship changes, and having a written agreement in place protects both parties and the company.

A vesting schedule determines how a co-founder's equity is earned over time — typically over four years with a one-year cliff. This means if a co-founder leaves in year one, they receive no equity; if they leave after two years, they receive half. Vesting protects the company and the remaining founders from a co-founder walking away with a large equity stake shortly after incorporation — a scenario that makes the company effectively unfundable.

A typical startup consultation engagement takes one to two weeks — including the initial briefing, preparation of the advisory report, and a follow-up discussion session. Implementation of the recommendations (incorporation, agreements, registrations) proceeds on a timeline agreed with the founders.

Build your startup on a solid foundation — get the structure right from day one.

Talk to our team about a startup consultation engagement tailored to your business model and growth plan.