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Synopsis of “Start Up” India
[Personal & Private Circulation bearing no opinion or advice]
What shall be considered as Startup?
ÿAn entity shall be considered as a ‘startup’:
∑Till five years from the date of its incorporation / registration;
∑If its turnover for any of the financial years has not exceeded rupees 25 crore, and
∑It is working towards innovation, development, deployment or commercialization of
new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property.
ÿProvided that any such entity formed by splitting up or reconstruction of a business already
in existence shall not be considered a ‘startup’;
ÿProvided further that in order to obtain tax benefits a startup so identified under the above
definition shall be required to obtain a certificate of an eligible business from the Inter-
Ministerial Board of Certification consisting of:
∑Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion,
∑Representative of Department of Science and Technology, and
∑Representative of Department of Biotechnology.
ÿEntity means a private limited company, or a registered partnership firm or a limited liability
partnership.
ÿTurnover is as defined under the Companies Act, 2013.
ÿAn entity is considered to be working towards innovation, development, deployment or
commercialization of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual
property if it aims to develop and commercialize:
∑A new product or service or process, or
∑A significantly improved existing product or service or process that will create or add
value for customers or workflow.
Provided that the mere act of developing:
∑products or services or processes which do not have potential for commercialization, or
∑undifferentiated products or services or processes, or
∑products or services or processes with no or limited incremental value for customers or
workflow
would not be covered under this definition.
ÿThe process of recognition as a ‘startup’ shall be through mobile app/portal of the Department of
Industrial Policy and Promotion. Startups will be required to submit a simple application with any of
following documents:
∑a recommendation (with regard to innovative nature of business), in a format specified
by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, from any Incubator established in a
post-graduate college in India; or
∑a letter of support by any incubator which is funded (in relation to the project) from
Government of India or any State Government as part of any specified scheme to
promote innovation; or
∑a recommendation (with regard to innovative nature of business), in a format specified
by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, from any Incubator recognized by
Government of India; or
∑a letter of funding of not less than 20 per cent in equity by any Incubation Fund/Angel
Fund/Private Equity Fund/Accelerator/Angel Network duly registered with Securities and
Exchange Board of India that endorses innovative nature of the business. Department of
Industrial Policy and Promotion may include any such fund in a negative list for such
reasons as it may deem fit; or
∑a letter of funding by Government of India or any State Government as part of any
specified scheme to promote innovation; or
∑a patent filed and published in the Journal by the Indian Patent Office in areas affiliated
with the nature of business being promoted.
ÿDepartment of Industrial Policy and Promotion may, until such mobile app/portal is launched
make alternative arrangement of recognizing a ‘startup’. Once such application with relevant
document is uploaded a real-time recognition number will be issued to the startup. If on
subsequent verification, such recognition is found to be obtained without uploading the
document or uploading any other document or a forged document, the concerned applicant
shall be liable to a fine which shall be fifty per cent of paid up capital of the startup but shall
not be less than Rupees 25,000.
ÿThis notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette
Disclaimer:This document contains the views and analysis of the author regarding the mentioned
Act and it is for personal and private circulation and not bearing any opinion or advice.
Prepared By:
Mohit Gupta,
B Com. (Hons.), FCA, LLB,
Alumni Rajdhani College (DU)
Alumni Law Centre 2, Law Faculty (DU)
For any query and feedback, please write to
mohit@gmrindia.com
CAclubindia
