Start-Ups | From Idea to Exit
The startup journey is chaotic. The legal foundation shouldn’t be. At Satyarth Legal, we have a dedicated practice focus for Start-Ups. We understand that early-stage companies have limited budgets but unlimited risks. We don’t treat you like a “mini-corporation”; we treat you like a high-growth engine that needs flexibility.
We bridge the gap between “bootstrapped” and “institutional grade,” ensuring that when VCs look at your books, they see a clean, investable company.
Who Is This For?
First-Time Founders: Who need guidance on equity splits and vesting.
Serial Entrepreneurs: Who need quick execution on new entities.
Incubators & Accelerators: Seeking legal partners for their cohorts.
Angel Investors: Who need basic due diligence before cutting a check.
Scope of Services
1. Incorporation & Structuring Choosing between an LLP and a Private Limited company affects your ability to raise funds later. We analyze your business model to recommend the right vehicle.
2. Founders’ Agreements This is the “prenup” for your business. We draft robust agreements that cover:
Roles & Responsibilities: Who does what?
Equity Vesting: What happens if a founder leaves in Year 1? (Cliff periods).
Decision Making: How do you resolve deadlocks?
3. Fundraising (Seed to Series A) We review and negotiate Term Sheets, Share Subscription Agreements (SSA), and Shareholders’ Agreements (SHA). We ensure you don’t sign away too much control or agree to draconian “liquidation preferences.”
4. ESOP Schemes To attract top talent, you need to offer equity. We structure Employee Stock Option Plans that are tax-efficient and legally compliant.
5. Intellectual Property Protection For tech startups, your code is your product. We ensure all IP created by employees and freelancers is successfully assigned to the company, not the individual.
Common Pitfalls We Solve
The “50-50” Trap: Two founders splitting equity 50-50 often leads to decision paralysis. We help structure boards to avoid this.
IP Leaks: Founders often forget to transfer the IP they created before incorporation into the company name. This is a red flag for investors.
Reverse Vesting Ignorance: If a co-founder leaves with 40% of the equity after 3 months, your cap table is dead. We implement reverse vesting to protect the company.
Why Satyarth Legal?
We don’t just “lawyer” the deal; we mentor. Because we work across the full lifecycle, we know exactly what Series B investors look for. We build your startup’s legal infrastructure today to pass the due diligence of tomorrow. We offer flexible engagement models specifically designed for early-stage cash flows.
In the Indian market, “Corporate & Transactions” is often treated as a commodity—a factory of templates and standard forms. We reject that model. We understand that a structure working for a family-owned conglomerate in Moradabad will not work for a high-growth tech startup in Bangalore.
We act as strategic architects. whether you are incorporating your first entity, negotiating a complex joint venture, or executing a cross-border merger, our role is to align the legal framework with your commercial reality. We ensure that your contracts don’t just sit in a drawer but actively protect your interests when relationships are tested.