Startup Registration
Introduction
In 2016, only 500 startups were registered with DPIIT, but by 2025, that number has grown to nearly 1.6 lakh. This growth didn't happen by chance; it's a result of factors like a growing entrepreneurial spirit, better access to funding, an improved business environment, a larger customer base, and key government initiatives like Startup India.
About Startup India
Startup India initiative is brainchild of PM Modi, and it was launched on Jan 16th 2016, Startup India is a DPIIT lead initiative aimed at building an ecosystem for Startups to thrive and create employment opportunities. The process of registering for Startup India is fully online but can be a bit complex. You'll need to go through various legal steps and provide the necessary documentation. While this may seem like a lot, the benefits are worthwhile. By registering, your startup becomes eligible for government grants, gets access to a broad network of investors, Mentors, Subsidized Resources, Tax Exemptions, Global Recognition and exposure through programs like Startup Mahakumbh.
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Benefits of Registering with Startup India
- Eligibility for Startup India Seed Fund, a chance to get upto 20 Lakhs in Govt Grant
- Government Grants: Nearly all government grants and schemes for startups require you to be officially registered with Startup India. This opens various avenues for funding and support.
- Investor Network Access: Initiative gives you access to a vast network of investors, including venture capitalists and angel investors.
- Cloud and SaaS Tools Credits: Startup India partners with cloud service providers and SaaS companies to offer credits and discounts, giving you access to essential tools at a reduced cost.
- Exposure at Events like Startup Mahakumbh: As a registered startup, you gain opportunities to showcase your business at national events like Startup Mahakumbh, enhancing your visibility and network.
- Tax Exemptions: Eligible startups can be exempted from paying income tax for 3 consecutive financial years out of their first ten years since incorporation
Registering with Startup India isn’t just about the paperwork; it’s a step that provides your startup with clear advantages like funding, resources, and access to a broader network.
Startup India Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for recognition under the Startup India initiative, your business must meet the following criteria:
- Company Age: The startup should be incorporated or registered in India and must be less than 10 years old from the date of incorporation.
- Company Type: The entity must be one of the following:
- Private Limited Company
- Registered Partnership Firm
- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
- Annual Turnover: The startup's annual turnover should not exceed ₹100 crore in any of the financial years since its incorporation.
- Original Entity: The startup should not have been formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.
- Innovation and Scalability: The startup should be working towards the development or improvement of a product, process, or service and/or have a scalable business model with high potential for wealth creation and employment generation.
Startup India Registration Requirements
Documents Required
Other Requirements
To ensure your startup is eligible for registration under the Startup India initiative, you’ll need to submit the following documents:
- Company Logo (Trademark is optional)
- Incorporation/Registration Certificate of your startup
- Authorization Letter from the authorized representative of the company, LLP, or partnership firm (Optional)
- Pitch Deck/Website or a Video Pitch showcasing your startup
- Startup’s PAN Number
- Director’s PAN, Aadhaar, and Address Proof
- Email and Phone Number (It’s recommended to use the director’s personal email and phone number, rather than a generic one like contact, no-reply, or info)
- Patent and Trademark Details (If applicable)
- Proof of Funding (If applicable)
- List of Awards or Certificates of Recognition (Optional)
Make sure all your documents are accurate and up to date. A clean, well-organized submission will help expedite the process and ensure you're ready to leverage the benefits Startup India offers.
You also need get Familiar with:
- National Single Window System (NSWS) portal
- Startup India Website
- Basic Software Installation Knowledge
Other Requirements That Nobody Tells You About
- Director of the business must have their Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) verified with Business’s Name
Note :- Individual DSC will not be accepted, you must have DSC issued with your business name
- A Brief Business Write-up about your Startup, make sure that the write-up includes special focus on three key points
- What innovation your startup brings to the industry
- Wealth creation potential
- Employment generation potential
- Director’s or Partner’s DIN
Other Requirements (Often Overlooked)
- Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): The director of your business must have their Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) verified with the business’s name.
Note: Individual DSCs will not be accepted; you must have a DSC issued in your business's name.
- Business Write-Up: You'll need to provide a brief business write-up about your startup. Make sure to highlight these three key points:
- Innovation: What unique innovation does your startup bring to the industry?
- Wealth Creation Potential: How does your business model contribute to wealth generation?
- Employment Generation: How does your startup contribute to job creation?
- Director’s or Partner’s DIN: The Director Identification Number (DIN) for the director(s) or partner(s) must be provided. Make sure all the information is accurate and consistent.
These additional requirements might not be immediately obvious, but they’re essential for completing your Startup India registration process successfully.
Step by Step Process for Startup India Registration
Profile Setup
Startup India Initiative Registration
1. Start Point
- Open the National Single Window System (NSWS) website on your PC. You can access it directly via this https://www.nsws.gov.in/.
- Navigate to the Login option and select “Business User Login”.
Note: If you already have an NSWS account, just Sign in and proceed to PAN Verification under the “My Profile” section on the NSWS dashboard.
2. Sign Up for New Users:
- Click on the “Register Now” option on the login screen.
- Enter the Director’s Email and Phone Number, then verify them through the OTP sent to both.
- Set a strong password and confirm it.
3. Select Entity Type
- After signing up, you will be prompted to select your organization type:
- Private Limited Company
- LLP
- Sole Proprietorship
- Other (e.g., Trust, HUF, Partnership, Co-operative Society, Government).
- If your business falls under “Other,” select the appropriate type from the dropdown menu, enter the Legal Name of the Business, and click Next.
4. Business PAN Verification
- Enter your Business’s PAN, Name, and the Date of Incorporation.
- Click Validate, then check the confirmation box and click Next to proceed.
5. Address Entry
- Input your Business’s Postal Address.
- If your Postal Address matches your Corporate Address, tick the confirmation checkbox.
- Confirm the address and proceed.
DSC Verification (We can Skip this option for now, just click on the “Proceed to Verify” option which will take you to your NSWS dashboard.
Note: DSC verification is mandatory to move forward. If you’re logged out or wish to complete the process later, the DSC section can always be accessed under the Profile option on the NSWS dashboard.
6. Authorised Signatory Details
- Proceed to “Authorised Signatory Details” option and click on “Add New” option.
- Enter the PAN details of the Authorised Signatory.
- Select their designation in the startup (choose “Others” if the authorised signatory is a partner).
- Select the relevant project (by default, "Project 1" will appear unless additional projects have been created; here, "project" refers to the business, as an authorised signatory may be associated with multiple businesses).
- Click “Add Digital Signature Certificate” to complete the linkage.
7. DSC Verification:-
- Click on the “Add Digital Signature Certificate” option. You will be redirected to the DSC Verification page, which outlines a 3-step process.
- Download the emBridge’s DSC Verification Software from the link provided on the page itself.
Once downloaded, open the file and follow the normal installation process.
Note: Always download these verification Software from the official NSWS page only, unauthorized software may put you at risk of identity theft.
- After installing the software, insert your DSC Pen Drive into your laptop or PC.
- Fill in the necessary details:
- Provider of your Digital Signature.
- Certificate Number.
- Token Password.
- Review the details and click “Register DSC”.
- If verification is successful, you will see a confirmation message with your startup’s legal details.
- If verification is unsuccessful, wait 24 hours and try again. If problems persist, ensure your DSC Pen Drive is working correctly and seek help with the software installation if needed.
Note: Once your basic profile is set up, you will be able to apply for various government grants, competitions, projects, and approvals through the National Single Window Portal (NSWS) as part of the Startup India initiative.
Time to proceed with the Startup India Initiative Registration:
- Navigate to the “Dashboard” section on the website.
- In the top search bar, simply enter “Startup Registration”.
- A suggestion titled “Registration as a Startup” will appear. Click on this option.
- You will be directed to a page containing the Registration Process details.
- Look for the “Add to Dashboard” button. Once this button becomes active, go to the “My Dashboard” section.
- In the My Dashboard section, your Startup Registration application will appear with the default status as “Not Applied”.
- Click on “Apply Now” to begin the registration process, once you're ready to proceed.
Note: It’s a good idea to keep all the required documents handy before you begin the application process. The entire Startup Registration can be divided into three major steps.
Form Filling, Review and Payment
Step 1 :- Startup Profile Filling
- Startup’s Logo
- About Startup (Put Business Write-up, try to make it compelling as you are pitching to your investors. This write-up must include 3 important points we talked in under Documents section of this guide)
- Mobile App URL (If any)
- Website URL (If any)
- Udyog Aadhaar (Optional)
- Select your Interests (Basically, whom you are looking to connect with, Investors, Other Startups, Mentors etc)
Step 2 :- Entity Details
- Select Nature of Entity (By Default, the selection will be the one we opted during NSWS onboarding)
- Industry
- Sector
- Categories
- Incorporation/Registration Date
Step 3 :- Full Address of the Office
- Just enter the complete address that will include State, District, Sub-District, City and Pin-Code
Step 4 :- Authorised Representative Details
- Here we will asked to fill Name, Designation, Mobile Number and Email (To be verified via OTP at this step itself)
Step 5 :- Director (s)/ Partner (s) Details
- Enter details of all the Directors and Partners in this section
Step 6 :- Information Required
- Current number of Employees including founders
- Stage at which the Startup currently
- IPR number (If applicable)
Step 7 :- Nature of Startup
- Requires you to select how Innovative, Scalable or both your idea is
Step 8 :- Whether your Startup is focused on Employment Generation, Wealth Creation or Both
- Here you are allowed to select one or both options
Step 9 :- Brief Write to Support your argument on why you think your idea is innovative, scalable or both
Step 10 :- Funding Confirmation
- If you have received funding, opt for option “Yes” and upload proof of funding
Step 11 :- Startup Activitities
- This section basically asking you to confirm whether your startup has received any awards or recognition or not
- If Yes, you will be asked to attach a document as proof
- If No, you will be asked to provide answer of 4 simple questions focussed on your Startup’s problem statement and uniqueness of the idea
Step 12 :- Upload Pitch Deck/Video Pitch URL etc
Step 13 :- Upload additional documents
- Here you can add other pitches you might have made, or any certificate or newspaper cuttings will also work.
Step 14 :- Self-Certification
- Business’s Legal Documents (Incorporation certificate, Partnership Deed etc)
- Authorization Letter (Optional)
- Confirmation Checkboxes
Step 15 :- Final Declaration
- Accept the final declaration statement to confirm your submission.
- Now review your application once, you might need to meet minimum and maximum word criteria.
- You will be prompted to Review your Application Details once, and you can click on “Submit Application” to make the final submission.
- You will be view a Confirmation Message and on clicking “Ok” you will get directed to your Dashboard.
- The status of your application will change from “Not Applied” to “Submitted”.
⁍ Verification process usually takes 2 to 3 days.
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