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The Startup Gig — Venture Deal Advisory for Founders, Investors & Global Businesses
Venture Deal Advisory

We don't just draft documents.
We architect deals.

Legal, financial, tax, and governance — structured as one. So deals close clean, cap tables hold, and nothing breaks at the next round.

₹800Cr+

Deal Value Advised

2000+

Startups Served

180+

Investors Served

11 Yrs

At the Table

4.9/5

Client Rating

"Most deals don't fail because of bad documents. They fail because the legal, financial, and governance layers were never talking to each other. We eliminate that gap - before the term sheet hits the table."

— Adv. Pooja Terwad, Founder & Principal Advisor

What We Do

Six advisory verticals.
One integrated stack.

01

Venture Deal Advisory

Term SheetsSHA / SSASecondariesVenture Structuring
02

Cap Table & ESOP Architecture

Dilution ModellingESOPVestingLiquidity
03

Governance & Board Counsel

Decision RightsBoardFounder Protections
04

Regulatory & Compliance

FEMA / FDIMCARBICross-Border
05

Deal Readiness & Transaction Support

Due DiligenceModellingData RoomValuation
06

India Entry Advisory

Market EntryFDIEntity SetupSecretarial
Who We Serve

Four audiences.
Purpose-built advisory.

Early Stage Founders

Early Stage Startups

Pre-seed and seed stage. You're building - and you need the legal and governance foundations done right from the start.

Pre-Seed · Seed · Entity Setup · Founder Agreements · ESOP · First Investor Docs
Funded Founders

Funded Startups

The term sheet is on the table and you need someone who's been across that table hundreds of times before.

Series A–B · SHA Negotiation · Cap Table · Governance · ESOP · Deal Closure
Investors

Investors & Family Offices

You need counsel on your side of the table — not a firm that also represents the founder across it.

Angel to Institutional · Deal Structuring · Due Diligence · Portfolio Governance · Exits
Global Businesses

Global Businesses Entering India

Entity structure, regulatory compliance, and governance — without five vendors and three conflicting opinions.

US · UK · EU · Singapore · UAE · FDI · Entity Setup · Repatriation · Governance
The Difference

We don't sell legal hours.
We sell deal judgment.

"Before we move documents, we align incentives. We negotiate from position, not pressure. And we stay at the table for every decision that matters."

The Startup Gig — deal table advisory

Integrated Advisory Stack

Legal, financial, tax, governance — one co-ordinated unit. Not four firms.

Partner-Level at Every Stage

Principal advisor from first call to final signature. No handoffs to juniors.

Focused Client Roster

We don't scale through volume. We stay close and stay useful.

Incentive Alignment First

Strategy before drafting. Negotiation at the structural level — not in markup.

Multi-Jurisdiction Capability

India, Singapore, Dubai, US, UK — cross-border advisory is core, not add-on.

The Team

Led from the front.

Adv. Pooja Terwad — Founder & Principal Advisor

Adv. Pooja Terwad

Founder & Principal Advisor

A startup attorney by profession. An entrepreneur at heart.

Pooja founded The Startup Gig in 2015 with one conviction: the ecosystem didn't need another law firm — it needed advisory that thinks structurally about deals, ownership, and governance.

Over 11 years, she and her team have worked with 2000+ startups, advised on hundreds of venture transactions, and served 180+ investors directly — building an integrated practice that handles legal, financial, tax, and compliance as one co-ordinated function.

Since

2015 (11+ Years)

Focus

Venture Transactions

Startups

2000+ Served

Reach

India · Singapore · UAE

How We Work

From first call to closed deal.

Confidential Discussion

We listen to the deal context — stage, parties, pressure points. No pitch. If we're not the right fit, we say so.

Strategic Scoping

Map the legal, financial, tax, and governance layers. Identify where the deal is vulnerable.

Incentive Alignment

Before a clause gets drafted, we align expectations. Negotiation at the structural level.

Execution & Close

Documents, diligence, data room, filings — one co-ordinated push. Deal closes clean.

Compact Premium Testimonials

Insights and Experiences Shared by Clients Who Have Trusted Us

Mr. Vatsa Vakil

Mr. Vatsa Vakil

Managing Partner at Helix Capital

"I’ve worked with The Startup Gig across multiple investments now, and they’ve become my go-to legal team. They understand exactly how I evaluate deals, anticipate issues before I even raise them, and handle negotiations with a great balance of firmness and practicality. Having that consistency across deals is incredibly valuable."

Harish Menon

Harish Menon

Co-Founder - House of Alpha

"The more deals we’ve done together, the smoother the process has become. They understand my risk appetite, my negotiation style, and what I care about in a deal. That familiarity makes every new transaction significantly easier."

Nimesh Kampani

Nimesh Kampani

Founding Partner- 108 Capital

"Having known Pooja for a while and having seen her work up close, I can say they operate with a high degree of professionalism and consistency."

"Their ability to navigate transactions, simplify complex issues, and support founders effectively reflects the kind of legal partner startups truly need."

Mr. Dhiraj Gambhire

Mr. Dhiraj Gambhire

Pharma Physician-Scientist

"Setting up and scaling in India meant dealing with multiple layers of legal work, especially around contracts and compliance. The Startup Gig supported us across a wide spectrum of agreements, ensuring everything was structured, consistent, and aligned with our global standards."

"What stood out was their responsiveness and ability to keep up with our pace as a growing company. For an overseas founder, that kind of reliable execution is invaluable."

Mr. Gokul Prakash

Mr. Gokul Prakash

Chief Executive Officer at Lamberton Power

"We engaged The Startup Gig to help structure a joint venture in the sustainable energy space, and their approach went far beyond standard legal support."

"They brought a strong understanding of both the commercial objectives and the regulatory landscape, helping us design a structure that was not only compliant but also aligned with our long-term goals. Their ability to anticipate issues and navigate negotiations made them a valuable partner in the process."

Mr. Dushyant Kothari

Mr. Dushyant Kothari

Founder & CEO, Hyurja Fuel Systems Private Limited

"We engaged The Startup Gig during a critical phase of our funding round, and their support made a tangible difference in getting the transaction closed."

"From handling documentation to actively supporting negotiations, they were hands-on, responsive, and solution-oriented throughout. Their ability to balance investor expectations with our interests helped move the deal forward smoothly."

Mr. Faizan Ayubi

Mr. Faizan Ayubi

Co-Founder and CEO at Trackier

"What impressed us was their ability to deliver a full set of agreements within strict timelines while maintaining attention to detail."

"It’s rare to find a team that combines speed with precision so effectively."

Mr. Nimeet Dhokai

Mr. Nimeet Dhokai

Co-Founder @ Happi Planet

"In the FMCG space, trademarks are not just legal assets—they are the foundation of the brand. There is absolutely no room for error."

"The Startup Gig handled 30+ trademark applications for us with remarkable precision and consistency. Their process was structured, efficient, and gave us complete confidence that every filing was done right."

Mr. Omkar Magar

Mr. Omkar Magar

Sr. Software Developer

"As a first-time founder raising a substantial round, the process felt overwhelming at times. What truly stood out was how personally involved Pooja ma’am was throughout."

"No matter how many questions I had—even repetitive ones—she took the time to explain every detail with patience and clarity. That level of handholding gave me immense confidence."

"The Startup Gig didn’t just help us close the round—they made the entire journey smooth and far less stressful."

Mr. Aum Deshpande

Mr. Aum Deshpande

Founder, Armor

"We onboarded The Startup Gig compliance team after a frustrating experience with our previous partners, and the difference was evident from day one."

"The handover was incredibly smooth, despite the volume and complexity of our transactions as a consumer electronics brand. Given the scale we operate at, even small errors can lead to serious GST and TDS implications—and we had already faced that earlier."

"With The Startup Gig, everything feels structured, accurate, and finally under control. We’re now on the right track."

Mr. Ninad Saraf

Mr. Ninad Saraf

Founder @ Ultramotiv

"We had initially onboarded another firm for our funding compliance, but the experience was disappointing—they were expensive and assigned extremely junior associates to critical parts of our transaction, which made us feel like we weren’t a priority."

"With The Startup Gig, the difference was immediate. The founder herself was actively involved, which gave us confidence that there was real oversight and no scope for error. Their secretarial team handled the compliance aspects efficiently and seamlessly."

"For a startup, having an integrated legal and compliance team like this is invaluable."

Mr. Tanmay

Mr. Tanmay

Co-Founder & CEO @ BAAS Technologies

"In a sector like aerospace, where transactions are complex and stakes are high, speed usually comes at the cost of precision. The Startup Gig proved otherwise."

"They helped us close our term sheet at lightning speed while ensuring every detail was thoroughly thought through. Their ability to move fast without compromising on quality made a real difference in maintaining deal momentum."

Mr. Arvind Venkat

Mr. Arvind Venkat

Insuretech and Reinsurance

"We’ve been working with The Startup Gig for over three years now, and the experience has been consistently seamless."

"As an insurtech company based out of Dubai, we needed a team that could understand our evolving requirements and support us reliably over time—and they’ve done exactly that."

"At this point, we genuinely cannot think of working with any other law firm."

Prachi Diwakar

Prachi Diwakar

Angel Investor

"Negotiating with founders can be tricky—you want protection without derailing the relationship. The Startup Gig handled this balance exceptionally well. They pushed for the right safeguards while keeping the conversation constructive. That’s a rare skill."

Mr. Arvind Venkat

Disha Shah

AVP @ Alphatron Capital

"As we began evaluating opportunities in India, we were looking for legal counsel that could combine local expertise with global standards—and TheStartupGig delivered exactly that."

"Their diligence was thorough, structured, and highly actionable, whether we were assessing direct startup investments or commitments into other funds. What stood out was their ability to contextualize legal risks within the Indian regulatory landscape while keeping our global investment framework intact."

"They’ve become a trusted partner as we expand our footprint in India."

Suma Monde Kapital Partners

Suma Monde Kapital Partners

"As a fund evaluating and executing investments in India, we needed legal partners who could operate at institutional standards while navigating local complexities. TheStartupGig delivered exactly that."

"Their diligence was comprehensive, their advice commercially grounded, and their ability to support both direct investments and fund-level commitments was particularly valuable. They’ve become a reliable extension of our team for India."

Mr. Arvind Venkat

Mr. prateek Gupta

Founder THW-The Healthy World | Founder Desi Farms | Founder Laxmi Industries

"Operating in the agritech space means working with a diverse set of stakeholders—core team, on-ground operators, and long-term partners. Designing an ESOP that fairly aligned everyone was critical for us."

"TheStartupGig helped us structure and implement our ESOP in a way that was both practical and scalable. They simplified a complex process, ensured compliance, and helped us create a plan that truly incentivizes long-term value creation."

Ms. Kareena Singh

Ms. Kareena Singh

Co-Founder at Bnwwear

"As a first-time founder raising my first round in the fashion space, I had a lot of questions and uncertainties. TheStartupGig didn’t just handle the legal work—they guided me through the entire process with patience and clarity."

"From explaining terms to negotiating with investors and closing the documentation, they made what felt overwhelming much more manageable. I genuinely felt supported at every step."

Trusted by founders, investors, and global businesses including

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Let's Talk

If the deal matters,
the advisory should too.

Schedule a confidential discussion — and we'll both know within twenty minutes whether we're the right fit.

Schedule a Confidential Discussion
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