How can I get funding for a startup in India?

Indian startups raise funding across stages — bootstrapping, pre-seed and seed funding from friends, family and angel investors, Series A and later rounds from venture capital firms in India, venture debt for non-dilutive growth capital, and government grants such as the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme and SIDBI Fund of Funds. ZOZO Venture's fundraising consultants prepare your pitch deck, valuation and data room, and run investor matchmaking with angels and VCs across India.

What is DPIIT recognition and how do I register under Startup India?

DPIIT recognition is the Government of India's official certification of an entity as a startup under the Startup India scheme. Eligible Private Limited Companies, LLPs and registered Partnership Firms can apply on the Startup India portal. Benefits include access to the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, 80-IAC tax exemption for three years, self-certification under labour and environment laws, faster patent processing and government tender benefits.

How do I create a pitch deck and value my startup?

A pitch deck should cover problem, solution, market size, business model, traction, team, financials and the ask. Startup valuation at pre-seed and seed stage is usually based on team strength, traction, market size and comparable deals; at later stages it shifts to revenue, growth and unit economics. ZOZO Venture's pitch deck consultants and fundraising advisors help Indian founders prepare an investor-ready deck and a defensible startup valuation.

What is the difference between seed funding, angel investment and venture capital?

Seed funding is the first institutional cheque to validate the idea, usually ₹50L–₹5 Cr. Angel investment comes from individual high-net-worth investors at pre-seed and seed stages. Venture capital funding comes from VC firms across Series A, B and beyond — larger cheques in exchange for equity. ZOZO Venture helps startups identify the right stage, investor type and structure (equity, convertible note or venture debt).

What government funding and loan schemes are available for Indian startups?

Indian startups can access the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (up to ₹50L for proof of concept and ₹5 Cr through incubators), SIDBI Fund of Funds for Startups, MSME loans, the Mudra loan, the CGTMSE collateral-free credit guarantee and state-level startup grants. ZOZO Venture helps founders identify eligibility, prepare applications and secure these schemes.

How do I register a Private Limited Company in India?

Private Limited Company Registration in India is done online through the MCA portal — obtain DSC and DIN for directors, reserve the name via RUN, and file SPICe+ with the MOA and AOA. The Certificate of Incorporation issues PAN and TAN together. ZOZO Venture completes Pvt Ltd Registration in 7–10 working days for a clean application.

What is the difference between Private Limited Company, OPC, LLP, Partnership Firm and Sole Proprietorship in India?

A Sole Proprietorship is the simplest but carries unlimited liability. A Partnership Firm (Indian Partnership Act, 1932) adds shared capital but still has unlimited, joint-and-several liability. An LLP (LLP Act, 2008) gives partnership flexibility with limited liability. An OPC suits a single founder who wants limited liability with corporate identity. A Private Limited Company is the gold standard for startups planning to raise external funding.

How do I register an LLP in India?

LLP Registration in India is done on the MCA portal — obtain DSC and DPIN for designated partners, reserve the LLP name via RUN-LLP, file FiLLiP, and then file the LLP agreement within 30 days of incorporation. ZOZO Venture handles end-to-end LLP Registration including LLP agreement drafting.

How do I register a sole proprietorship in India?

There is no single proprietorship registration in India — you legitimise a Sole Proprietorship through one or more operational registrations: GST Registration, Udyam (MSME) Registration, and/or Shop & Establishment Act Registration. ZOZO Venture handles all three for new proprietors in 3–5 working days.

How long does Company Registration take in India?

Private Limited Company Registration takes 7–10 working days from document submission. LLP Registration takes 10–14 days. OPC Registration usually wraps up within a week.

How do I check Company Name Availability on MCA?

ZOZO Venture checks MCA Name Availability using RUN (Reserve Unique Name), cross-verifies matching .com/.in domains and Indian trademark registry — analysis within 24 hours.

Is GST Registration mandatory for a new company?

GST Registration is mandatory if services turnover crosses ₹20L, goods turnover crosses ₹40L, you sell inter-state, or sell via e-commerce. ZOZO Venture handles GST Registration end-to-end within 3–5 working days.

What information do I need to register a company in India?

Just a rough idea of your business plus basic identity documents (PAN, Aadhaar, address proof) of directors. We guide you through Company Name Availability, MCA filings, DIN, DSC, PAN, TAN, GST and more on a single call.

Do you charge for the initial consultation?

No. Your first consultation with a ZOZO specialist is completely free. You only pay once you choose to move forward with a service.

Can you help only with specific services — not the whole bundle?

Absolutely. Pick any combination — just Company Registration, just GST Registration, just banking, just the website. Bundles save money but are never mandatory.

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Payment Gateways5 Apr 20266 min

Razorpay vs Cashfree vs PhonePe — Best Payment Gateway For Indian Startups in 2026

An honest comparison of India's top payment gateways on MDR, onboarding speed, UPI success rate, and developer experience — updated for 2026.

The payment gateway you pick quietly becomes a tax on every sale — sometimes 1.8%, sometimes 2.3%. Over three years and ₹5 Cr in GMV, that difference is ₹25 lakh. Here's how the three biggest players actually stack up for Startups.

Razorpay — developer-first, widest stack

The default for D2C, SaaS, and tech-first businesses. Best-in-class API documentation, cleanest dashboard, widest product breadth (payments, payroll, banking, corporate cards). Standard MDR: 2% on cards, 0% on UPI up to ₹2000 txn, 0.8% on wallets. Onboarding 5–10 days post-KYC. Settlements are T+2 standard, T+1 if negotiated.

Cashfree — lowest MDR at scale

If you're doing ₹50L+/month in GMV, Cashfree's account manager will negotiate MDR down to 1.6–1.75% on cards, often beating Razorpay. Strong on international cards (great for exporters) and has a powerful payouts product. Dashboard is functional but less polished. Onboarding slightly slower (7–14 days).

PhonePe — UPI conversion champion

If >70% of your payments are UPI (typical for D2C and consumer apps), PhonePe's built-in UPI rails give 3–5% better success rates than competitors. Pricing is aggressive on UPI. Downside: card and international support is weaker, dashboard is less mature, and developer experience trails Razorpay meaningfully.

What actually matters

For most sub-₹1 Cr/month Startups: Razorpay. For scale players optimizing basis points: Cashfree. For UPI-heavy consumer businesses: PhonePe. Don't over-index on MDR at small volumes — the 0.2% saved is dwarfed by what you lose in bad dev experience, slow support, or UPI failures at checkout.

Negotiating MDR — what to ask for

Hit all three with your GMV projection, current MDR, and ask: (1) Lower MDR on cards — target 1.85% at ₹25L/month, 1.7% at ₹1 Cr/month. (2) Faster settlements — T+1 instead of T+2. (3) Free refund processing. (4) Lower international card fees — target 3% instead of 3.5%. Most PGs will match or beat a written offer from competitors.

The bottom line

Pick the one that reduces friction for your specific customer flow — not the one with the cheapest-looking website. If you want us to negotiate MDR and handle onboarding paperwork with all three, that's literally the service we sell. Book a free consultation.

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