Guides
Startup and compliance guides
Step-by-step guides with links to the official sources. For news and recent notifications, see the blog; for the text of the law, see the knowledge bank.
Topic guides
9DIY vs consultant for DPIIT recognition: which should you choose
DPIIT recognition can be filed for free by any founder on startupindia.gov.in. Here's an honest breakdown of when doing it yourself makes sense, and when a consultant actually earns their fee.
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DPIIT application rejected: reasons and how to reapply
The five most common reasons a DPIIT recognition application gets rejected or sent back with a query - what triggers each one, how to fix it, and how to reapply.
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DPIIT recognition for an LLP and a registered Partnership Firm
Most DPIIT guidance assumes a Private Limited Company. Here's exactly what changes if you're applying as an LLP or a registered Partnership Firm - documents, eligibility, and common mistakes.
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DPIIT recognition vs the section 140 (formerly 80-IAC) tax holiday
DPIIT recognition and the startup tax holiday (section 140 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, formerly 80-IAC) are separate approvals. A side-by-side comparison based on DPIIT's February 2026 notification and the 2025 Act.
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How to write an innovation note DPIIT approves
A weak innovation note is the top reason DPIIT recognition gets delayed or rejected. Learn exactly what reviewers look for, with a structure and real examples of what works.
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Startup India registration fees: full breakdown
DPIIT recognition has zero government fee - so what exactly are you paying a consultant for? A full breakdown of Startup India registration costs, government fees, and professional fees.
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Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS): how to apply
SISFS gives DPIIT-recognised startups up to ₹20 lakh as a grant and further funding through convertible debentures or debt - but you apply through an approved incubator, not the government directly. Here's how it works.
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Startup tax holiday certificate (section 140, formerly 80-IAC): process, documents and timing
The startup tax holiday is now section 140 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (formerly 80-IAC). How the Inter-Ministerial Board certificate works under DPIIT's February 2026 notification, what Form-1 asks for, and how to plan the timing.
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Udyam (MSME) registration vs Startup India (DPIIT) recognition
Udyam registration and DPIIT recognition are two different government registrations with different purposes - and most eligible businesses should get both, not choose one. Here's the difference.
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State startup policies
8Startup India registration in Delhi NCR: Delhi, Haryana and UP state benefits compared
"Delhi NCR" isn't one jurisdiction for startup policy purposes - Delhi, Gurugram (Haryana) and Noida (UP) each run their own state scheme on top of central DPIIT recognition. Here's which one actually applies to you.
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Startup India registration in Gujarat - SSIP and state startup benefits
DPIIT recognition is national. Gujarat layers its own support on top through SSIP, i-Hub, iCreate and a dedicated state seed and sustenance scheme - here's how they fit together.
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Startup India registration in Karnataka: ELEVATE scheme and state benefits
DPIIT recognition is national, but Karnataka layers its own ELEVATE grant-in-aid scheme and Startup Karnataka cell on top. Here's what the state actually adds, who runs it, and how eligibility differs from central recognition.
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Startup India registration in Maharashtra: MSInS and state benefits
DPIIT recognition is the national baseline. In Maharashtra, MSInS - the state's nodal startup agency - adds its own seed fund, tender access and incubator network on top, but only after you're already DPIIT-recognised. Here's how the two connect.
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Startup India registration in Rajasthan - iStart and state benefits
DPIIT recognition is national and comes first. iStart Rajasthan is the state layer on top of it - seed funding, sustenance allowance and free incubation. Here's how the two fit together.
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Startup India registration in Tamil Nadu: StartupTN and state benefits
DPIIT recognition is national and equity-free. Tamil Nadu's StartupTN adds TANSEED - a seed grant that, unlike most state schemes, takes a small equity-linked stake in return. Here's what's genuinely different about the TN model.
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Startup India registration in Telangana - T-Hub, WE-Hub and state benefits
DPIIT recognition is the national baseline. Here's what Telangana adds on top of it through T-Hub, WE-Hub and the state's own grant and reimbursement schemes.
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Startup India registration in Uttar Pradesh - state startup fund and policy benefits
DPIIT recognition is national. Uttar Pradesh's new state startup policy adds its own fund, seed capital and incubator support on top of it - here's what's actually in it.
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