- Raise when you can show a real signal: a live product, early users, pilots or revenue.
- Seed money in India comes from angels, angel networks, micro VCs, accelerators and seed funds.
- Warm introductions from founders an investor trusts work far better than cold emails.
- Prepare the deck, a simple financial model and a small data room before you start.
Are you ready to raise?
Seed investors back a team and an early signal that the market wants the product. You do not need big revenue, but you need something real to point to: a working product, users who come back, signed pilots, letters of intent or first revenue. Our guide to the traction slide explains which signals count most.
Who invests at seed in India
| Type | What they usually look for |
|---|---|
| Angel investors | Founders they trust, often in a sector they know. Smaller cheques, quick decisions. |
| Angel networks | Groups of angels who hear pitches together and invest as a syndicate. |
| Accelerators | Very early teams. Money plus a programme, in exchange for equity. |
| Micro VCs and seed funds | Funds that lead seed rounds, usually with a clear sector or stage focus. |
Many rounds combine several of these: a seed fund leads and angels fill the rest.
Build a focused investor list
List 40 to 80 investors who actually invest at your stage and in your sector. Check their recent portfolio, not just their website. Note who in your network knows each one. A short list of the right investors beats a long list of the wrong ones.
Get warm introductions
The strongest introduction comes from a founder the investor has backed. Ask for a short, forwardable email: who you are, what you have built, your strongest number and what you are raising. Make it easy for them to say yes.
What to prepare
- Pitch deck: 10 to 15 slides in the order investors expect. See our pitch deck template.
- Financial model: a simple monthly plan for 18 to 24 months, with your key assumptions.
- Data room: company documents, cap table, key contracts and your metrics.
- Your ask: how much, what it buys and the milestone it reaches.
Run the meetings close together
Book first meetings within two or three weeks of each other. Investors move faster when others are looking at the same round. Follow up the same day with anything you promised.
How the round closes
Once a lead agrees, they issue a term sheet. In India, seed investments are often made through compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) or convertible notes, and some investors use India-specific versions of the SAFE. A lawyer who works with startups should review the terms before you sign. Then come due diligence, the shareholder agreement and the filings, before the money arrives.