Build a data room that closes Series A in 60 days. Six-stream checklist covering legal, financial, tax, HR, contracts and IP for Indian startups in 2026.
When a term sheet lands, the due diligence sprint begins. Indian VCs in 2026 send anywhere from 80 to 200 document requests across legal, financial, tax and HR streams. Most delays in closing are not negotiation issues but missing documents. Build your data room ahead of time so the next term sheet converts to a wire transfer in 60 days, not 120.
Corporate and Secretarial
- Incorporation certificate, current MOA and AOA.
- All PAS-3, MGT-14, SH-7, DIR-12 and other ROC filings since incorporation.
- Board and shareholders' meeting minutes books with agendas and attendance.
- DPIIT certificate, Form 2 acknowledgement and Startup India profile.
- Cap table reconciled with MCA, share certificates and statutory registers.
Financial Records
- Audited financial statements for the past three years.
- Monthly management accounts with revenue, cost and headcount details.
- Bank statements, cash flow statement and projections for next 18 months.
- Detailed schedule of receivables, payables, capex and prepaid expenses.
Tax Documents
- ITR-6 and tax audit reports for three years, with all CPC notices closed.
- GST returns: GSTR-1, 3B and annual GSTR-9, 9C where applicable.
- TDS quarterly returns and Form 16/16A issued.
- Transfer pricing report if any cross-border transactions exist.
- Section 56(2)(viib) workings and Rule 11UA reports for all share allotments.
Contracts and Customers
- Top 20 customer contracts with assignability and change-of-control clauses.
- Vendor and SaaS contracts.
- Lease deeds for office premises.
- Loan agreements, debenture trust deeds and hypothecation papers.
HR and Employment
- Employee master with appointment letters and current CTC.
- PF, ESIC, professional tax and gratuity records.
- ESOP scheme, grants and exercise tracker.
- Confidentiality, IP assignment and non-compete agreements.
IP and Privacy
- Trademark and patent applications and certificates.
- Copyright deposits for material code and content.
- Privacy policy, DPDP consent flows and grievance officer details.
- Cybersecurity certifications such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2 if any.
Conclusion
Build this data room as a living folder structure from incorporation onwards. Update it quarterly, run an internal mock diligence every six months, and the next investor will move from term sheet to closing without a single delay caused by missing documents.
