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Business Setup, Growth & Compliance Advisory
Early-stage and growth-stage businesses often face regulatory, tax and structural challenges not because of lack of opportunity, but due to incorrect initial structuring, fragmented compliance management and absence of long-term advisory support. Decisions taken at the stage of business setup — including entity selection, ownership structure, capital deployment, compliance architecture and contractual arrangements — have far-reaching implications on scalability, funding readiness, tax exposure, governance and eventual exit.
In India, startups and MSMEs also operate within a dense regulatory ecosystem involving central and state laws, labour regulations, tax compliances, sector-specific approvals and government incentive frameworks. Poor compliance hygiene or reactive advisory at this stage frequently leads to regulatory defaults, denial of incentives, blocked funding, disputes among founders and avoidable litigation.
Unified’s Business Setup, Growth & Compliance Advisory practice is designed as a foundational advisory vertical, combining strategic structuring with disciplined compliance execution, enabling founders and promoters to focus on business growth while regulatory and governance risks are proactively managed.
We treat startup and MSME advisory as growth architecture, not clerical execution.
Scope of Advisory
Our services under this vertical span the entire early and growth lifecycle, from inception to scale-up and transition into structured corporate operations.
We advise promoters on selecting the most appropriate legal and tax-efficient structure aligned with business objectives, funding plans and risk appetite.
Coverage includes:
- Advisory on choice of entity (private limited company, LLP, partnership, OPC, Section 8 company, trust, society, etc.)
- Structuring of shareholding, capital contribution and promoter rights
- Drafting of constitutional documents and founder arrangements
- Business registrations and statutory approvals
- Advisory on sector-specific licensing and regulatory entry requirements
- Conversion and restructuring of existing entities to suit growth needs
India offers a range of statutory recognitions, protections and incentives for startups and MSMEs. However, improper documentation or compliance failures often result in denial or withdrawal of benefits.
Coverage includes:
- Startup India and MSME registration advisory
- Eligibility assessment for statutory benefits and exemptions
- Advisory on MSME protections under applicable laws
- Support in availing government schemes, subsidies and incentives
- Compliance monitoring to ensure continued eligibility
- Advisory on export-oriented benefits and trade-linked incentives
We assist businesses in building robust compliance frameworks that scale with growth and reduce regulatory exposure.
Coverage includes:
- Companies Act and allied law compliance architecture
- ROC and MCA filings and statutory maintenance
- Labour law and establishment compliance frameworks
- GST and indirect tax compliance coordination
- Regulatory calendars, compliance checklists and reporting systems
- Compliance health checks and gap analysis
(Routine execution is supported through integrated teams and regulated professionals, while Unified retains advisory oversight.)
Early-stage businesses frequently suffer from weak financial discipline, poor documentation and inadequate MIS, which negatively impacts funding, audits and valuations.
Unified provides advisory-led financial structuring, without positioning itself as a bookkeeping or accounting firm.
Coverage includes:
- Advisory on accounting frameworks and statutory reporting
- MIS and internal reporting structures
- Cash-flow and working capital structuring
- Support in audit readiness and financial discipline
- Coordination with statutory auditors and finance professionals
- CFO-level advisory support through structured engagement models
Founder disputes and governance failures are among the most common reasons for business disruption at the startup and MSME stage.
Coverage includes:
- Founder agreements and shareholder arrangements
- ESOP structuring and employee incentive plans
- Governance frameworks for closely-held businesses
- Board structuring and decision-making protocols
- Exit and buy-out mechanisms
- Advisory on dispute prevention among stakeholders
As businesses transition from early-stage to growth-stage, regulatory and structural readiness becomes critical for attracting institutional capital.
Coverage includes:
- Structuring for angel, VC and private equity funding
- Due diligence readiness and documentation support
- Advisory on term sheets and investment structures
- Regulatory and tax alignment for fund-raising
- Post-investment compliance and governance advisory
- Restructuring support for scale-up and expansion
Unified assists businesses in transitioning from informal or MSME-stage operations to structured corporate governance, ensuring continuity and compliance during growth.
Coverage includes:
- Entity conversion and restructuring advisory
- Governance upgrades and board formalisation
- Compliance migration planning
- Risk management and internal control frameworks
- Advisory on preparation for large transactions or exits
Who This Practice Serves
- Startups and founder-led ventures
- MSMEs across manufacturing, services and exports
- Promoter-led growth businesses
- Family-owned enterprises entering formal corporate structures
- Businesses preparing for institutional funding or expansion
How This Practice Adds Value
- Reduces regulatory and compliance risk from inception
- Preserves eligibility for government benefits and incentives
- Improves funding readiness and valuation outcomes
- Prevents founder disputes and governance failures
- Creates scalable compliance and operational frameworks
Cross-Practice Integration
This practice works closely with:
- Corporate, Commercial & Transaction Advisory (for restructuring and funding)
- Tax, Transfer Pricing & International Structuring (for tax alignment)
- Regulatory, Compliance & Governance Advisory (for compliance depth)
- Dispute Resolution Advisory (for preventive risk management)
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