We plan to bring eChai across 100 cities in India. It starts with eChai Startup Demo Day on 26 September, all in person. 13 cities confirmed, 698 founders registered. Any city that reaches 20 interested founders is on too. See your city
Co-founders, team & legal

IP, licenses & regulatory

Protect your idea, stay legal to sell.

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Trademark vs patent vs copyright, which one do I actually need? For most founders, a trademark is the one that matters: it protects your brand name and logo so nobody else can trade under it, and it's cheap and ... Beginner 3 resources → How do I check if my brand name is free, and how do I trademark it in India? Before you print a single business card, run your name through the free IP India public trademark search to see if it's already claimed in your cla... Intermediate 2 resources → What licenses and registrations do I legally need before I can start selling? There's no single 'business license' in India, it depends on what you sell and where. Almost everyone needs GST registration once they cross the tu... Intermediate 2 resources → I'm building a food business, what FSSAI licence do I need to sell legally? Every food business in India needs an FSSAI number, no exceptions, from a home cloud kitchen to a packaged-goods brand. Which tier depends on turno... Intermediate 2 resources → Someone is copying my brand, product, or content. What can I actually do about it in India? Your leverage depends on what you registered: a registered trademark lets you send a strong cease-and-desist and sue for infringement, while an unr... Advanced 3 resources → I'm building an app that collects user data. What does the DPDP Act actually require me to do? India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 makes you a data fiduciary the moment you collect personal data, so you owe clear consent, a sta... Advanced 3 resources → Do I really need a privacy policy and terms of service before I launch, or can I add them later? Add them before launch, not later, because a payment gateway, app store, or the DPDP Act will demand them and a missing policy exposes you personal... Beginner 3 resources → When do I actually need to register for GST, and what happens if I sell without it? You must register for GST once you cross the turnover threshold (broadly 40 lakh for goods, 20 lakh for services, lower in some states), but you ne... Beginner 3 resources → I'm selling a physical D2C product (cosmetics, supplements, wellness). What product approvals do I need before I list? Beyond company and GST setup, your product category has its own regulator: cosmetics and drugs fall under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act with CDSCO, m... Advanced 3 resources →
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