Starting Up

The resources founders actually use.

Every essay, video, podcast, book and tool behind 1,327 answered founder questions, in one place, each with a note on why it is here.

What founders use most, ranked by how many answers lean on it.

  1. Tamil Nadu's startup mission, where founders register with the state and apply to its programmes and funds. startuptn.in Tool · State portal StartupTN Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission
  2. Odisha's startup portal for state recognition, financial assistance to startups and incubators, and its Rs 100 crore fund of... startupodisha.gov.in Tool · State portal Startup Odisha Government of Odisha
  3. Uttar Pradesh's startup portal, which publishes the incentives it has approved and paid, including sustenance allowances,... startinup.up.gov.in Tool · State portal StartinUP (Uttar Pradesh) Department of IT and Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh
  4. Kerala's startup agency, with grants such as the Women Productisation Grant for women and transgender-led startups taking a... startupmission.kerala.gov.in Tool · State portal Kerala Startup Mission Government of Kerala
  5. Maharashtra's nodal agency for its startup policy, running the state's programmes, incubators and challenges. msins.in Tool · State portal Maharashtra State Innovation Society Government of Maharashtra
  6. Which returns firms and LLPs file: ITR-5 for a firm or LLP, and ITR-4 for a resident firm (not an LLP) on presumptive income. incometax.gov.in Article · Help page Partnership Firm / LLP (AY 2026-27) Income Tax Department
  7. Explains ITR-4 eligibility, the Budget 2026 change of the non-audit due date to 31 August 2026, and the 44ADA limits of ₹50... cleartax.in Article · ~12 min read ITR-4 (Sugam) AY 2026-27: Who Can File, Last Date and How to File ClearTax
  8. A clear table of AY 2026-27 dates (31 August 2026 for non-audit ITR-3 and ITR-4, 31 October for audit cases, 31 December for... kotakneo.com Article · ~8 min read ITR-1 to ITR-4: Deadlines, Eligibility and Audit Thresholds for AY 2026-27 Kotak Neo
  9. A US-written but portable guide to finding a startup lawyer: referrals from lawyers and founders you trust, events and... nerdwallet.com Article · ~8 min read How to Find a Startup Lawyer NerdWallet
  10. FSSAI's FAQ on registration and licences, linking the current fee structure and setting out requirements such as the... fssai.gov.in Article · FAQ FoSCoS FAQs on Licensing and Registration FSSAI
  11. The regulator's site for the food law, standards, labelling rules and advisories that sit behind every licence. fssai.gov.in Tool · Government website FSSAI: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI
  12. A current guide to the three tiers (Basic Registration up to ₹1.5 crore, State Licence to ₹50 crore, Central above), documents... indiafilings.com Article · ~10 min read FSSAI Registration for Food Startups IndiaFilings
  13. The official instructions, including the international phone line (267-941-1099, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern, weekdays) that... irs.gov Article · Instructions Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025) Internal Revenue Service
  14. Where to download the current Form SS-4 and its instructions. irs.gov Tool · Form page About Form SS-4, Application for EIN Internal Revenue Service
  15. A legal-news summary of the April 2026 fee rules read with the directors' rules in force from 31 March 2026: DIR-3 KYC Web is... scconline.com Article Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Amendment Rules, 2026: DIR-3 KYC timeline and fees SCC Online
  16. Razorpay's LLP registration service at Rs 1,499 plus government fees, with a worked cost table: RUN-LLP Rs 200, FiLLiP Rs 500... razorpay.com Tool LLP Registration Online in India (Razorpay Rize) Razorpay
  17. A clear calendar of what an LLP files each year with the MCA: Form 11 by 30 May, Form 8 by 30 October, and Rs 100 a day per... indiafilings.com Article LLP Annual Filing: Form 11, Form 8, Due Dates and Penalties IndiaFilings
  18. A side-by-side of the two structures: an LLP for professional services with lighter compliance, a private limited company where... aidbylaw.com Article LLP vs Private Limited Company in India AidByLaw
  19. Delaware's official starting point for forming an LLC or corporation: the registered agent requirement, name reservation,... corp.delaware.gov Article How to form a new business entity (Delaware Division of Corporations) State of Delaware
  20. Delaware's own page on what a Delaware LLC owes every year: no annual report, but a $400 tax due on or before 1 June, with a... corp.delaware.gov Article LLC, LP and GP annual tax instructions (Delaware Division of Corporations) State of Delaware
  21. The IRS instructions for Form 5472, which a foreign-owned US disregarded entity, such as a single-member LLC owned by an Indian... irs.gov Article Instructions for Form 5472 (IRS) Internal Revenue Service
  22. Maharashtra's official portal for registering a shop or establishment (Form A), renewing it and filing changes, with the... lms.mahaonline.gov.in Tool Labour Management System, Maharashtra (Shop and Establishment registration) Labour Department, Government of Maharashtra
  23. Karnataka's single portal for state services, through which a shop or establishment in Karnataka applies for registration under... sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in Tool Seva Sindhu, Government of Karnataka Government of Karnataka
  24. An HR platform's guide to Maharashtra's 2017 Act: registration is mandatory at 10 or more employees, a simple intimation below... keka.com Article Maharashtra Shop and Establishment Registration (Keka) Keka

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Playbooks

A goal, and the route through it a step at a time.

Find an idea worth pursuing Spot problems worth solving and find the one that actually fits you. 4 steps Validate before you build Get real evidence people want it before you write a line of code. 4 steps Understand your customers Talk to real users, define who you're for, and read the market clearly. 4 steps From idea to first customers The idea-stage spine: find a problem, prove it, talk to customers, and land the first ten. 4 steps Build an MVP without code Ship a first version with no-code tools before you hire anyone. 4 steps Build and launch your first product Turn a validated idea into something real people can use. 6 steps Find and work with developers Hire, brief, and work with builders without getting burned. 4 steps Name and brand your startup Name it, design an identity, and say what it does in a line. 3 steps Build a landing page that converts A page that loads fast, earns trust, and turns visitors into signups. 4 steps Get your first customers The scrappy, unscalable work of going from zero to your first paying users. 5 steps Sell it yourself, founder-led Reach out, run the conversation, and close before you have a sales team. 4 steps Grow with content and SEO Compound reach with content, search, and a founder audience. 3 steps Grow with paid ads Spend that returns: the channels, metrics, and loops behind it. 4 steps Price and package your product Charge for value, package it right, and check the numbers work. 3 steps Bootstrap instead of raising Fund growth from revenue, and keep control of your company. 4 steps Raise your first round Understand the game before you pitch: whether to raise, from whom, and on what terms. 5 steps Find a co-founder, split equity Find the right partner and split equity without regret. 3 steps Set up the company right Incorporate, split equity, protect your IP, and make your first hires. 4 steps Survive founder life Mindset, burnout, the leap, and the parts nobody warns you about. 5 steps Build in India The India-specific playbook: schemes, government, enterprise, and the local market. 5 steps

The questions founders start with

What are good startup ideas in India right now? The ideas Indian investors are backing in 2026 sit in a few places: AI built into one industry's daily work (vertical AI for B2B, where software fu... Beginner 5 resources → How do I find product-market fit? Narrow until a small group cannot do without you, then widen. Pick the segment where usage is strongest, talk to those people every week, and chang... Intermediate 9 resources → Do I actually need a co-founder, or can I go solo? You don't strictly need one, but the data says teams outlast solos: complementary skills, shared load, and someone to argue you out of bad calls al... Beginner 3 resources → How do I build an MVP for my startup, step by step? Write down the one assumption that kills the idea if it is wrong, then build the cheapest thing that tests it and get it to real users within weeks... Beginner 9 resources → Which tool should I use to analyse qualitative data like interview notes? For a founder with a dozen interviews, Gemini Notebook, which is free, or Claude, free or $20 a month on Pro: load the transcripts, ask for the rec... Beginner 6 resources → How do I get my first client as a freelancer? Your first client is most likely someone who already knows you or someone they know, so start there before marketplaces. 1) Pick one service for on... Beginner 6 resources → How do I decide how much to charge for my product? Stop guessing and stop pricing off your costs, price off the value the customer gets and their willingness to pay. Talk to customers about pricing,... Beginner 3 resources → Should I raise venture capital or bootstrap my startup? Raise VC only if your business needs a big pile of cash to reach escape velocity before someone else does, and if a 10x-in-a-few-years outcome is g... Beginner 3 resources →

Questions for your situation

The Aspiring Founder The Idea-Stage Founder The Builder The Launcher The Grower The Student Founder The Indie Hacker The Technical Solo Founder The Non-Technical Founder The Domain Expert The Women Founder The Anywhere Founder The Corporate Switcher The Repeat Founder
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