'Startups'

The Startup India action plan defines Startups as:“Startup means an entity, incorporated or registered in India not prior to five years, with annual turnover not exceeding INR 25 crore in any preceding financial year, working towardsinnovation, development, deployment or commercialisation of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property.Provided that such entity is not formed by splitting up, or reconstruction, or a business already in existence.Provided also that an entity shall cease to be a Startup if its turnover for the previous financial years has exceeded INR 25 crore or it has completed 5 years from the date of incorporation/registration.Provided further that a Startup shall be eligible for tax benefits only after it has obtained certification from the Inter-Ministerial Board, setup for such purposes.”

In addition, for a startup to be recognized as one,It must be an entity registered/incorporated as a:Private Limited Company under the Companies Act, 2013; orb. Registered Partnership firm under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932; orc. Limited Liability Partnership under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008.

1. Five years must not have elapsed from the date of incorporation/registration.

1. Annual turnover (as defined in the Companies Act, 2013) in any preceding financial year must not exceed Rs. 25 crore.

1. Startup must be working towards innovation, development, deployment or commercialisation of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property.

The Startup must aim to develop and commercialise:a) a new product or service or process; orb) a significantly improved existing product or service or process that will create or add value for customers or workflow.

The Startup must not merely be engaged in:developing products or services or processes which do not have potential for commercialisation; orb. undifferentiated products or services or processes; orc. products or services or processes with no or limited incremental value for customers or workflow

1. The Startup must not be formed by splitting up, or reconstruction, of a business already in existence.

1. The Startup has obtained certification from the Inter-Ministerial Board, setup by DIPP to validate the innovative nature of the business, and

a. be supported by a recommendation (with regard to innovative nature of business), in a format specified by DIPP, from an incubator established in a post-graduate college in India; orb. be supported by an incubator which is funded (in relation to the project) from GoI as part of any specified scheme to promote innovation; orc. be supported by a recommendation (with regard to innovative nature of business), in a format specified by DIPP, from an incubator recognized by GoI; ord. be funded by an Incubation Fund/Angel Fund/Private Equity Fund/Accelerator/Angel Network duly registered with SEBI* that endorses innovative nature of the business; ore. be funded by the Government of India as part of any specified scheme to promote innovation; or
f. have a patent granted by the Indian Patent and Trademark Office in areas affiliated with the nature of business being promoted.* DIPP may publish a ‘negative’ list of funds which are not eligible for this initiative.