https://1936ai.com/blog Plain-English guides for Indian founders on raising money, hiring, payroll, GST and the books. en-IN Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT https://1936ai.com/blog/seed-round-data-room-checklist https://1936ai.com/blog/seed-round-data-room-checklist Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A seed round data room checklist for Indian startups: the six folders investors expect, what to leave out at seed, and the order they open things. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/what-investors-read-in-data-room https://1936ai.com/blog/what-investors-read-in-data-room Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT What do investors look at in a data room? The three documents everyone opens, where they slow down, what gets skipped, and what it means for your deck. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/term-sheet-terms-explained https://1936ai.com/blog/term-sheet-terms-explained Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Term sheet terms explained for Indian founders: valuation and option pool, liquidation preference, anti-dilution, pro-rata, board seats and what's negotiable. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/nda-for-investors https://1936ai.com/blog/nda-for-investors Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Should you ask investors to sign an NDA? Why most VCs won't, when it's fair to ask, the five clauses that matter, and a lighter alternative for your startup. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/series-a-due-diligence-checklist https://1936ai.com/blog/series-a-due-diligence-checklist Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A Series A due diligence checklist for Indian startups: legal, financial, tax and compliance, people, product and customers, and how to keep it moving. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/monthly-investor-update-template https://1936ai.com/blog/monthly-investor-update-template Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A seven-part investor update template for founders. What to include each month, which metrics to show, and how to ask your investors for help that arrives. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/ccps-vs-ccd-vs-isafe https://1936ai.com/blog/ccps-vs-ccd-vs-isafe Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT CCPS vs CCD vs iSAFE explained in plain English: what each instrument is, how it converts, what founders give up, and the filings after the round. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/documents-required-for-startup-loan https://1936ai.com/blog/documents-required-for-startup-loan Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Documents required for a startup loan in India: what banks, NBFCs and venture debt funds ask for, what changes after sanction, and why applications get declined. Raising money Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/ctc-vs-in-hand-salary https://1936ai.com/blog/ctc-vs-in-hand-salary Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT CTC vs in-hand salary explained with worked examples at ₹12 lakh and ₹18 lakh, the new labour codes' 50% wage rule, and how to show it in an offer letter. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/when-is-pf-and-esi-mandatory https://1936ai.com/blog/when-is-pf-and-esi-mandatory Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT When is PF mandatory for a startup, and when does ESI apply? Headcount rules, wage limits, contribution rates, monthly due dates and the cost of filing late. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/how-to-screen-cvs-faster https://1936ai.com/blog/how-to-screen-cvs-faster Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT How to screen CVs faster without reading every line: a scorecard, five skills, a 15-minute first call and fair use of AI, with a person deciding. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/leave-policy-template-india https://1936ai.com/blog/leave-policy-template-india Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A leave policy template for Indian startups: earned, casual and sick leave, maternity, carry-forward, encashment, approvals and holidays, under the new labour codes. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/performance-review-small-team https://1936ai.com/blog/performance-review-small-team Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A simple performance review for a small team of 10 to 50: a twice-a-year cycle, four questions, fair links to pay, and the mistakes to avoid. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/esops-in-india-explained https://1936ai.com/blog/esops-in-india-explained Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT ESOPs in India explained: pool, grant, vesting and exercise, how ESOPs are taxed at exercise and sale, the startup tax deferral, and how to show them in an offer. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/full-and-final-settlement-checklist https://1936ai.com/blog/full-and-final-settlement-checklist Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A full and final settlement checklist for India under the new labour codes: the two-day pay rule, gratuity, leave encashment, deductions, documents and exit steps. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/hybrid-attendance-policy https://1936ai.com/blog/hybrid-attendance-policy Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A hybrid attendance policy that works: what to track, check-in without a register, office days, leave on work-from-home days, and a sample policy to copy. Hiring and running a team Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/gst-tds-due-dates-2026-27 https://1936ai.com/blog/gst-tds-due-dates-2026-27 Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Every GST and TDS due date for 2026-27 in one place: GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, QRMP, TDS deposits, the new TDS return forms, advance tax and annual returns. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/tds-194c-vs-194j-freelancers-agencies https://1936ai.com/blog/tds-194c-vs-194j-freelancers-agencies Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT 194C or 194J? How TDS works on freelancers, agencies and consultants under the Income-tax Act, 2025, with rates, limits and five real cases from startups. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/month-end-close-checklist https://1936ai.com/blog/month-end-close-checklist Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A month-end close checklist for Indian startups: a day-by-day plan to close your books by the 5th, with bank, sales, payroll, TDS, accruals and review. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/gstr-2b-mismatch-input-tax-credit https://1936ai.com/blog/gstr-2b-mismatch-input-tax-credit Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A GSTR-2B mismatch means input tax credit you can't claim. The common causes, how IMS changed things, a monthly routine and an email to send vendors. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/how-to-calculate-runway https://1936ai.com/blog/how-to-calculate-runway Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT How to calculate runway for a startup: gross vs net burn, the formula with a worked rupee example, planned hires, and what 6, 12 and 18 months mean. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/tally-vs-zoho-books https://1936ai.com/blog/tally-vs-zoho-books Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Tally vs Zoho Books for a 20-person Indian startup: what each costs, what each does well, and how to switch without losing your history. Prices checked Oct 2026. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/board-pack-template https://1936ai.com/blog/board-pack-template Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A monthly board pack template for startups: the one-page summary, P&L, cash and runway, hiring, risks and asks. What to include and how long it should take. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/bank-reconciliation-for-startups https://1936ai.com/blog/bank-reconciliation-for-startups Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Bank reconciliation for startups explained simply: what it is, the three kinds of difference, a worked rupee example, how often to do it and rules that save hours. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/startup-year-end-compliance-india https://1936ai.com/blog/startup-year-end-compliance-india Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Startup annual compliance in India in one timeline: closing the books, statutory audit, AGM, ROC filings and income tax, month by month from April to December. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/expense-reimbursement-policy-startup https://1936ai.com/blog/expense-reimbursement-policy-startup Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT A simple expense reimbursement policy for Indian startups: petty cash, receipts, GST input credit, approvals and booking claims right. Free template included. Money, GST and compliance Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/why-we-named-the-company-1936 https://1936ai.com/blog/why-we-named-the-company-1936 Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT Why 1936 AI is named after a year: the Progressive Writers' conference in Lucknow in April 1936, and what plain, useful work means for the software we build. Notes from the build Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/how-we-use-ai-person-decides https://1936ai.com/blog/how-we-use-ai-person-decides Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT How 1936 AI uses AI in Galley, Masthead and Margin: what it reads, ranks and drafts, what it never does on its own, and why a person approves anything that matters. Notes from the build Nitin Srivastava https://1936ai.com/blog/founder-back-office-stack https://1936ai.com/blog/founder-back-office-stack Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT The startup back office stack, stage by stage: what you need for raising, people, money and legal at seed, Series A and Series B, and what can safely wait. Notes from the build Nitin Srivastava