Saturday, April 05, 2025
Date: 5th April 2025
Time: 2.00 Pm to 5.00 Pm
Venue: Auditorium, Dr. D. Y. Patil B School
Resource Person: Dr. Sankalp Dandawate
Participants: PGDM Students
Faculty Coordinator: Ms. Stuti
Organizer: Centre of Teaching and Learning
Objectives
The primary objective of the session was to provide aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage start-up founders with:
1. A foundational understanding of the initial preparedness required for start-up registration in India.
2. Essential knowledge of legal and ethical steps for starting and running a business.
3. Clarity on the statutory compliances and challenges faced in the Indian start-up ecosystem
The session on “How to Plan for Start-up and Legal & Ethical Steps” was conducted by Dr. Sankalp Dandawate, an eminent academician and legal expert in the field of entrepreneurship and business law. The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from budding entrepreneurs, students, and innovation enthusiasts.
Dr. Dandawate began the session by discussing the importance of proper planning and clarity in the business idea before registering a start-up. He emphasized the need for validating the business model through market research, prototyping, and customer feedback. Participants were introduced to the Start-up India Initiative and its various benefits like tax exemption, IPR support, and funding facilitation.
He then delved into the legal structure options available for a start-up in India — including Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Private Limited Company, and One Person Company (OPC). Dr. Dandawate clearly explained the pros and cons of each form and guided the attendees on choosing the right legal structure based on their business model, risk, and capital.
A key highlight of the session was a detailed discussion on legal compliances, such as:
1. Business Registration via MCA portal (www.mca.gov.in) or Startup India portal (www.startupindia.gov.in)
GST registration, PAN/TAN application, and bank account opening
2. Compliance with labour laws, income tax, and environmental regulations
3. Importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) – trademark, patent, copyright
4. Founders’ agreement, vendor contracts, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and employment contract
Ethical aspects were not left behind. Dr. Dandawate emphasized the need for building a start-up with a strong ethical foundation, maintaining honesty in financial reporting, fair treatment of stakeholders, privacy and data protection, and compliance with anti-corruption laws.
Useful government platforms, schemes, and documentation references were shared:
1. Startup India Hub – https://www.startupindia.gov.in
2. MCA Services – https://www.mca.gov.in
3. IPR Filing – https://ipindia.gov.in
Udyam Registration (for MSMEs) – https://udyamregistration.gov.in
Interactive Q&A rounds followed, where participants raised queries about seed funding, partnership conflicts, licensing requirements, and ethical dilemmas faced by founders. Dr. Dandawate addressed each query with relevant examples and suggestions, making the session both informative and practical.