Virtual CFO & Advisory

Startup Advisory — Finance, Legal & Fundraising

From Idea to Investment — Navigate Every Financial Milestone

✦ DPIIT & 80-IAC Tax Benefits ✦ ESOP Design & Administration ✦ Investor-Ready Financials
View Plans → Talk to Expert

What is Startup Advisory?

Startups face a unique set of financial, legal, and compliance challenges that general practitioners are often not equipped to handle: choosing the right legal structure, ESOP design, term sheet negotiation, cap table management, DPIIT recognition for Section 80-IAC tax benefits, SEBI-regulated investment rounds, and cross-border fund flows (FEMA/FDI). A wrong decision at the seed stage can haunt a company through Series A, B, and beyond.

VITTAX's Startup Advisory practice offers founder-friendly, equity-smart financial and legal advisory for early and growth-stage startups. Our advisors have hands-on experience with angel rounds, VC-term sheet structures, convertible notes, SAFE agreements, DPIIT registration, and international holding structures (Singapore/Delaware flip) — providing the kind of strategic financial guidance that was previously only accessible to well-funded startups with expensive law firms and Big-4 advisors.

We partner with founders from incorporation through to exit — building the financial architecture that investors expect and that maximises founder value at every stage.

⚠️ A wrong decision at the seed stage — on structure, ESOP, or cap table — can haunt a company through Series A, B, and beyond.

Who Needs Startup Advisory?

✔ Pre-Revenue Startups: Pre-revenue startups setting up the right legal and tax structure
✔ Fundraising Startups: Startups preparing for angel/seed/Series A fundraising
✔ First-Time Founders: Founders negotiating their first term sheet without financial advisors
✔ Cap Table Issues: Startups with existing cap table complications or ESOP issues
✔ Flip Structuring: Startups considering a Singapore or Delaware holding structure
✔ DPIIT Applicants: Startups applying for DPIIT recognition or Section 80-IAC tax exemption

Advisory Services Covered

🏢 Structure & Incorporation

• Legal structure recommendation — Pvt Ltd vs LLP vs OPC
• Founders' agreement, shareholder agreement, intellectual property assignment
• DPIIT Startup India registration
• Section 80-IAC tax holiday application (eligible startups)

💰 Fundraising

• Financial model and investor projections preparation
• Term sheet review — valuation, liquidation preference, anti-dilution, information rights
• Convertible note / SAFE structuring
• Cap table modelling and dilution analysis
• Data room setup for due diligence

📋 ESOP & Cap Table

• ESOP pool design — size, vesting schedule, exercise price
• ESOP scheme drafting and board resolution
• Cap table maintenance (Carta / spreadsheet)
• ESOP taxation advisory for employees

🌍 Cross-Border & FEMA

• India-to-Singapore / India-to-Delaware flip advisory
• FEMA compliance for FDI from foreign VC/angels
• FC-GPR / FLA / FC-TRS filings post-funding

Pricing

Startup Launchpad

₹19,999 + ₹4,999/mo

Pre-incorporation to first funding

Ideal for: Pre-revenue startups in first year

  • ✓ Structure advisory
  • ✓ DPIIT registration
  • ✓ Founders' agreement review
  • ✓ First 12 months compliance calendar
  • ✓ ESOP basics advisory
VITTAX Fee: ₹19,999 one-time + ₹4,999/month ongoing  |  Govt. Fees: Nil
Get Started →
POPULAR

Startup Growth

₹29,999/round + ₹9,999/mo

Seed to Series A advisory

Ideal for: Startups actively raising or post-seed

  • ✓ Financial model for fundraising
  • ✓ Term sheet review + cap table modelling
  • ✓ FEMA/FDI compliance post-round
  • ✓ ESOP scheme design
  • ✓ Data room setup
  • ✓ Ongoing CFO advisory (12 hrs/month)
VITTAX Fee: ₹29,999 per round + ₹9,999/month  |  Govt. Fees: Nil
Get Started →

Startup Scale

₹39,999/month

Series A and beyond — full CFO + advisory

Ideal for: Series A+ startups, VC-backed companies

  • ✓ Everything in Growth
  • ✓ Board-ready investor reporting
  • ✓ Subsequent round prep
  • ✓ M&A / acquisition support
  • ✓ Exit planning (strategic sale / IPO prep)
  • ✓ Unlimited advisory
VITTAX Fee: ₹39,999/month  |  Govt. Fees: Nil
Get Started →

FAQs

What is Section 80-IAC and how does it help startups?

Section 80-IAC provides a 100% tax holiday on profits for 3 consecutive years out of the first 10 years of incorporation for eligible DPIIT-recognized startups. This can save lakhs in income tax during growth years. We manage the entire application and approval process.

Should my startup flip to Singapore or Delaware?

Depends on your investor base, IP location, and long-term plans. Singapore is preferred for Asia-Pacific investors; Delaware for US VCs. Flipping has tax and FEMA implications that must be carefully planned. We provide a detailed written advisory before any flip decision.

Can you review a term sheet that we received?

Yes — term sheet review is a standalone service at ₹9,999. We flag non-standard clauses (aggressive liquidation preference, full-ratchet anti-dilution, drag-along rights) and explain implications in plain language.

Do you help with due diligence that VCs conduct on us?

Yes. We assist you in preparing for financial and legal due diligence — cleaning up books, resolving compliance gaps, preparing a data room, and responding to DD queries from investor advisors.

Quick Enquiry

Startup Launchpad₹19,999 + ₹4,999/mo
Startup Growth₹29,999 + ₹9,999/mo
Startup Scale₹39,999/mo

At a Glance

80-IAC Tax Holiday3 Years / 10 Years
Term Sheet Review₹9,999 standalone
DPIIT RegistrationIncluded
Govt. FeesNil

⚡ Key Advisory Areas

Structure / DPIIT✔ Covered
ESOP / Cap Table✔ Covered
Term Sheet / SAFE✔ Covered
SG / DE Flip✔ Covered

Build a Fundable Business — Partner with VITTAX Startup Advisory

From DPIIT registration to term sheet review, ESOP design to Series A — we partner with founders at every stage

Get Started Today → Talk to Expert