Page 43 - Banking Finance December 2017

ARTICLE

Government O Startup Ecosystem O Tax exemption O Easing fund raising O Focused sectors
Initiatives O Digital India O MUDRA Bank O Other funding O Awareness
(including O Online clearance O India Aspiration O initiatives initiatives
upcoming) portal Fund O Setting of SETU O Setting up
Incubators

Source : NASSCOM
From the above table it can be understood that the gov- already raised the balance 50% or more of the stated
ernment of India has taken some initiatives towards the fund size as the case maybe. The Fund of Funds shall
startup India, these initiatives explained in the following have representation on the governance structure/board
lines. In the year of 2015 total startups are 10,000, their of the venture fund based on the contribution made.
target up to the year of 2025 is 25,000 startups. Here their
Y The Fund shall ensure support to a broad mix of sectors
aim is by spending of $ 500 bn. to generate 35,00 employ- such as manufacturing, agriculture, health, education,
ment opportunities and to become as a No. 1 country in the
etc.
world.
ii. Credit guarantee fund
We also understand that government has taken so many
In order to overcome traditional Indian stigma associated
steps regarding taxes, liberalized policies, fund raising and
also their aims to be to setting up many incubators in dif- with failure of Startup enterprises in general and to encour-
ferent sectors. age experimentation among Startup entrepreneurs through
disruptive business models, credit guarantee comfort would
help flow of Venture Debi from the formal Banking System.
VII. The Institutional Funding and Incen- Debt funding to Startups is also perceived as high risk area
tives to Startups and to encourage Banks and other Lenders to provide Ven-

i. Funding support through fund of funds ture Debts to Startups, Credit guarantee mechanism through
National Credit Guarantee Trust Company (NCGTC) / SIDBI
One of key challenges faced by Startups in India has been is being envisaged with a budgetary Corpus of INR 500 crore
access to finance. Often Startups, due to lack of collaterals per year for the next four years.
or existing cash flows, fail to justify the loans. Besides, the
high risk nature of Startups wherein a significant percent-
age fails to take-off, hampers their investment attractive- iii. Tax exemption on capital gain
ness. In order to provide funding support to Startups. Gov- Due to their high risk nature, Startups are not able to at-
tract investment in their initial stage. It is therefore impor-
ernment will set up a fund with an initial corpus of INR 2,500
crore and a total corpus of INR 10,000 crore over a period tant that suitable incentives are provided to investors for
4 years (i.e. INR 2,500 crore per year). The Fund will be in investing in the Startup ecosystem. With this objective, ex-
the nature of Fund of Funds, which means that it will not emption shall be given to persons who have capital gains
invest directly into Startups, but shall participate in the capi- during the year, if they have invested such capital gains in
tal of SEBI registered Venture Funds. Key features of the Fund the Fund of Funds recognized by the Government. This will
of Funds are highlighted below: augment the funds available to various venture capitalists
Y The Fund of Funds shall be managed by a Board with (VCs) / angel investors funds (AIFs) for investment in
private professionals drawn from industry bodies, Startups. In addition, existing capital gain tax exemption for
academia and successful Startups. investment in newly formed manufacturing MSMEs by indi-
viduals shall be extended to all Startups. Currently, such an
Y Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) shall be a co-investor entity needs to purchase "new assets" with the capital gain
in the Fund of Funds.
received to avail such an exemption. Investment in 'com-
Y The Fund of Funds shall contribute to a maximum of 50% puter or computer software' (as used in core business activ-
of the stated daughter fund size. In order to be able to ity) shall also be considered as purchase of 'new assets' in
receive the contribution, the daughter fund should have order to promote technology driven Startups.

BANKING FINANCE | DECEMBER | 2017 | 43

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