Legal and Accounting Basics for Startups (Kirsty Nathoo, Carolynn Levy)
Still the single best hour on formation, vesting, and equity paperwork, from YC's CFO and the inventor of the SAFE.
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How do I incorporate my startup without burning cash on lawyers?
The short answer
Standardized platforms handle formation for a few hundred dollars with battle-tested documents: Stripe Atlas or Clerky for a Delaware C-corp, Razorpay Rize or a good CS firm for an Indian Pvt Ltd. AI is for understanding what you're signing, not for inventing formation documents from scratch. Get the boring things right on day one (founder vesting, IP assignment, clean cap table) because fixing them during due diligence costs ten times more.
A quick orientation. The real value is below: resources worth your time, from people who've actually done it.
19 resources worth your time
Legal and Accounting Basics for Startups (audio)
The same YC lecture for your commute.
Listen on Spotify open.spotify.com →Stripe Atlas vs. Clerky: 2026 Incorporation Guide for Startup Founders
Current head-to-head on the two default Delaware options, with real pricing.
Open rho.co →Stripe Atlas vs Clerky: Which Is Better (+5 Alternatives)
Adds the five credible alternatives so you see the whole field.
Open flowjam.com →10 Best Stripe Atlas Alternatives for Startups
Sorts the incorporation platforms by who they actually suit: VC-track vs bootstrapper vs non-US founder.
Open startupsavant.com →Best Firstbase Alternatives
Documents the service failures to avoid when picking a cheap formation provider.
Open every.io →Incorporating a Startup: Delaware C-Corp, Atlas vs Clerky, and the Checklist That Saves You Later
A founder's first-person walkthrough with the post-formation checklist most guides skip.
Open medium.com →Skala vs Stripe Atlas, Clerky, Doola, etc.
Vendor-written but the clearest feature matrix across every incorporation service.
Open skala.io →Razorpay Rize: Company Registration in India
Expert-in-the-loop Indian incorporation from Rs 1,499, built by a startup for startups.
Open razorpay.com →Startup Compliance Guide: What Every Founder Should Know
The post-incorporation compliance calendar (ROC, tax, auditor, registers) Indian founders always underestimate.
Open rizevault.razorpay.com →How to Open a Company in India: Process of Incorporation
Step-by-step MCA process without the CA-firm jargon.
Open razorpay.com →
How to Register a Private Limited Company in India (Step-by-Step Guide 2025)
Watch the whole Pvt Ltd registration flow before you start it.
Watch on YouTube youtube.com →
How To Register A Private Limited Company In India 2025
A second India walkthrough covering documents and DSC/DIN prerequisites.
Watch on YouTube youtube.com →
Pvt Ltd Company Registration 2025
Hindi-friendly explainer of the same process for founders outside metro bubbles.
Watch on YouTube youtube.com →How to Register a Private Limited Company in India: Step-by-Step Guide
Mainstream-press reference version to sanity-check anything a service provider tells you.
Open business-standard.com →Treelife: Legal, Compliance and Finance for Indian Startups
The India startup-law firm whose free guides cover almost every incorporation and compliance question.
Open treelife.in →Cost of Legal Fees to Start a Company: A Complete Guide
Budget benchmarks: $2,500-5,000 for formation docs, $15-20K first-year total, so you know when you're overpaying.
Open blog.promise.legal →Startup Cents: Planning For Your First Year Of Legal Fees
A startup lawyer's honest breakdown of what deserves lawyer money in year one.
Open velawood.com →Startup founders often make these legal mistakes
The formation-stage mistakes (misclassification, missing IP assignment) that resurface at every fundraise.
Open techcrunch.com →More in Legal & Contracts
- Why review contracts with AI before paying a lawyer? 19 →
- How do founders handle NDAs, ESOPs, term sheets, and compliance questions with AI? 19 →
- Where is AI legal help dangerous, what still needs a human lawyer? 20 →
- Which AI legal tools actually work for startups, and how do you choose? 19 →
- What prompts get reliable contract review out of ChatGPT or Claude? 18 →
- Is it safe to paste confidential contracts into ChatGPT? 18 →
- What goes into a founders' agreement, and can AI draft it? 19 →
- How do I protect my IP: assignments, trademarks, and patents on a budget? 19 →
- Can AI handle my privacy policy, terms of service, and data-protection compliance? 20 →
- What should I check before signing a SAFE, iSAFE, or convertible note? 20 →
- How do I get due-diligence ready with a clean data room? 18 →
- How should founders negotiate customer and vendor contracts with AI's help? 20 →