IMPACT= Good governance

India has the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world and it continues to grow at a phenomenal pace. The start-up journey requires juggling priorities to scale businesses in the context of scarce time and resources. Founders often accept the importance of good governance in principle, but start-ups frequently grow rapidly and their systems and controls may not keep up. Gaps are typically only addressed when issues arise. By then it may be too late to prevent financial and impact losses and reputational damage.

This event explored how the regulatory environment and expectations of corporate governance for start-ups has evolved in India over recent years, and what we can expect in the future, as well as views on how investors can drive good governance. Rujata Bankar from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs also shared the regulator’s expectations of privately-owned companies in India.

The panel discussion focussed on the practical challenges of implementing successful governance frameworks, especially for start-ups and smaller businesses looking to grow, and provided guidance on how to phase governance standards. They also discussed the challenges faced by founders and how they can approach governance gaps throughout the start-up journey.

Speakers included:
Alex Maddy – Head of Business Integrity & Corporate Governance, British International Investment
Rujuta Bankar – Assistant Registrar of Companies, Mumbai, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India
Manish Kejriwal, Founder and Managing Partner, Kedaara Capital
Swaminathan Shankar – Chief Financial Officer, Chiratae Ventures
Rama Tadepalli – Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Mintoak

Read more about the event here

Read our new guidance note Governance red flags in venture capital start-ups, which aims to help investors identify and proactively manage governance risks, particularly in emerging markets.