Startup Funding — Seed to Series A
Government seed funds, credit guarantee for startups, angel and VC introductions — plus the pitch deck, model and data room that make an investor say yes.
- Up to ₹50L government seed funding
- Pitch deck & financial model
- DPIIT recognition included
- Angel & VC introductions
At a Glance
- Seed grant (PoC)
- Up to ₹20L
- Market entry support
- Up to ₹50L
- CGSS guarantee
- Up to ₹10Cr
- Stage covered
- Idea → Series A
- Typical timeline
- 60 – 120 days
What Is Startup Funding?
Most early-stage founders in India start looking for a VC when the cheapest and least dilutive money available to them is sitting in a government scheme they have not registered for. The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme alone provides up to ₹20 lakh as a grant for proof of concept, prototyping and product trials, and up to ₹50 lakh for market entry and scale-up through convertible debentures or debt — none of which requires you to give away equity at a bad valuation.
SetuBridge works both tracks. On the government side we get you DPIIT-recognised, apply to the right incubators under the Seed Fund Scheme, and use the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) where you need debt without collateral. On the private side we prepare the material investors actually read — a deck that tells a story, a model whose assumptions survive questioning, and a data room that does not collapse during diligence — and introduce you to angel networks and funds whose thesis matches your stage and sector.
We are honest about which track you belong to. If your unit economics are not ready for an institutional round, we will tell you to take grant money and revenue for another two quarters rather than burn your reputation with a premature pitch.
120+
Startups funded
₹50L
Max seed support
30+
Investor connects
10 yrs
Startup validity
Funding Routes
Which of these applies depends on your stage. Most founders should exhaust the non-dilutive routes before selling equity.
Seed Fund — Proof of Concept
Up to ₹20LGrant under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme for validating proof of concept, prototype development, product trials and market entry testing.
- Non-dilutive grant
- Released against milestones
- Disbursed through a selected incubator
Seed Fund — Commercialisation
Up to ₹50LSupport for market entry, commercialisation and scaling, provided as convertible debentures, debt or debt-linked instruments.
- Minimal early dilution
- For startups with a working product
- Also routed through incubators
CGSS venture debt
Up to ₹10CrCredit Guarantee Scheme for Startups — a government guarantee that lets lenders extend credit to DPIIT-recognised startups without collateral.
- Debt, not equity
- No collateral required
- DPIIT recognition mandatory
Angel round
₹25L – ₹2CrIndividual angels, syndicates and angel networks backing an early team with a working product and first signs of demand.
- Fast decisions
- Mentorship alongside money
- Convertible notes or priced round
Seed round
₹2Cr – ₹10CrInstitutional seed funds and micro-VCs investing once you have repeatable revenue and a defensible early wedge in the market.
- Priced equity round
- Formal due diligence
- Board seat or observer typically
Series A
₹10Cr+Growth capital for startups with proven unit economics and a repeatable go-to-market motion ready to be scaled with capital.
- Proven CAC and payback
- 12–18 months of clean metrics
- Extensive diligence
Benefits
What you actually gain from Startup Funding.
Non-dilutive money first
Grant and debt support under government schemes costs you no equity. Taking it before an equity round means you raise later, at a higher valuation, for a smaller share.
Three years of tax exemption
DPIIT-recognised startups can apply for 100% deduction of profits under Section 80-IAC for any three consecutive years out of the first ten — real cash retained once you turn profitable.
Debt without collateral
CGSS provides guarantee cover to lenders for loans to DPIIT-recognised startups, which is how a company with no fixed assets gets a working capital line at all.
You stop wasting first meetings
A weak deck burns an investor relationship permanently — you rarely get a second first meeting. Going in prepared is the cheapest insurance in fundraising.
Eligibility
Check where you stand before applying — we confirm all of this on the first call anyway.
Startup qualification
- Incorporated as a private limited company, registered partnership or LLP.
- Within 10 years of incorporation, and annual turnover has not exceeded ₹100 crore in any financial year.
- Working on innovation, development or improvement of a product, process or service, or a scalable business model with potential for employment and wealth creation.
- Not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.
For the Seed Fund Scheme
- DPIIT-recognised, and recognition not older than 2 years at the time of application.
- A business idea to develop a product or service with a market fit, commercialisation viability and scope for scale.
- Using technology in the core product, service, business model, distribution or methodology.
- Has not received more than ₹10 lakh of monetary support under any other central or state government scheme.
- Indian promoters must hold at least 51% shareholding at the time of application.
For an angel or VC round
- A working product with real users, or clear evidence of demand — pilots, letters of intent or a paying pipeline.
- A clean cap table, proper incorporation and IP assigned to the company rather than to individual founders.
- Unit economics you can explain: what it costs to acquire a customer and what that customer is worth.
- A founding team that covers product, distribution and execution between them.
Documents Required
Company & founder documents
- Certificate of Incorporation and MOA/AOA (or LLP Agreement)
- PAN of the company and PAN/Aadhaar of all founders
- Shareholding pattern and current cap table
- DPIIT recognition certificate, if already obtained
- Board resolutions and founder agreements
- IP assignment agreements, trademark or patent filings
Business & financial documents
- Pitch deck and one-page executive summary
- Financial statements and ITRs for completed years
- Bank statements for the last 12 months
- Revenue, user and traction data with supporting proof
- Product roadmap and technology architecture note
- Customer contracts, LOIs, POs or pilot agreements
- Details of any funding already received, from any source
How We Help You Get Startup Funding
What we handle for you, and the order we do it in.
DPIIT startup recognition
Full application for Startup India recognition — the gateway to seed funds, tax exemption, IPR benefits and public procurement relaxations.
Seed Fund Scheme application
Selection of the right incubators, the SISFS application, milestone plan and the presentation to the incubator's selection committee.
Investor-grade pitch deck
A 12–15 slide deck covering problem, solution, market size, traction, business model, competition, team, unit economics and the ask — written the way investors read.
Financial model & valuation
A driver-based three to five year model with cohort assumptions, burn and runway, plus a defensible valuation range and cap table scenarios.
Data room & due diligence prep
Incorporation papers, cap table, ESOP pool, contracts, IP assignments, compliance and financials organised so diligence takes weeks, not months.
Investor introductions
Warm introductions to angel networks, syndicates, family offices and early-stage funds whose stage, sector and cheque size match what you are raising.
Step by step
- 1
Discovery and stage assessment
Day 1We look at the product, traction, team and cap table and place you honestly on the funding ladder — grant-ready, angel-ready or institution-ready.
- 2
DPIIT recognition
7 – 15 daysApplication on the Startup India portal with the innovation write-up and supporting proof. Recognition unlocks the seed fund, tax exemption and procurement benefits.
- 3
Collateral build
10 – 20 daysPitch deck, financial model, valuation note and data room built together so the numbers in the deck and the numbers in the model never contradict each other.
- 4
Applications and outreach
15 – 30 daysSISFS applications to shortlisted incubators, CGSS through partner lenders where debt fits, and a targeted investor outreach list rather than a mass mail-out.
- 5
Pitching and diligence
30 – 60 daysMock pitches and objection handling before the real thing, then support through the diligence questionnaire, reference calls and data requests.
- 6
Term sheet to closing
20 – 45 daysReading the term sheet with you clause by clause — liquidation preference, anti-dilution, board rights — then coordination through definitive agreements and the money hitting the account.
Why Choose SetuBridge
What working with us is actually like.
We tell you when the answer is no
If you are not eligible, or the timing is wrong, or your credit record needs fixing first, we say so on the first call — before you have paid us anything.
One team, start to finish
The same people who assess your case prepare the file and follow it up. You are not handed to a different desk after the sale, and you never re-explain your business.
700+ businesses, ₹103 Cr+ facilitated
We have run this process across 28 states and most sectors, so we know which departments, portals and branches move quickly and which need chasing.
Fees agreed in writing, upfront
You know the cost before work starts. We never ask you to pay anything to a government official or bank employee, and no legitimate consultant will.
Follow-up is the actual work
Most applications do not fail at filing — they stall at an unanswered query or a missed deadline. Chasing those to closure is the bulk of what we do for you.
You keep every document
Certificates, acknowledgements, login credentials and filed copies are handed over to you. Nothing is held back to keep you dependent on us.
₹103 Cr+
Funding facilitated
700+
Businesses helped
85%
Success rate
28
States covered
Frequently Asked Questions
Up to ₹20 lakh as a grant for validation of proof of concept, prototype development or product trials, released against milestones; and up to ₹50 lakh for market entry, commercialisation or scaling up, provided through convertible debentures, debt or debt-linked instruments. The money is disbursed by the incubator you are selected through, not directly by the government.
Related Services
Startup India Recognition (DPIIT Certificate)
DPIIT recognition — the gateway to every Startup India benefit.
Startup Tax Exemption under Section 80-IAC
Three years of 100% profit deduction for recognised startups.
Company Incorporation in India
Pvt Ltd, LLP, OPC and partnership registration, end to end.
Government fees, scheme limits and eligibility norms are revised from time to time. Figures on this page are indicative — our team confirms the rules in force on the day of filing before you commit to anything.
Get your startup funding-ready
Talk to a SetuBridge advisor. We'll tell you honestly whether this is the right fit for your business — no charge for the first conversation.