How to Raise a Pre-Seed Round in India in 2026 — Deck, Investors, and Closing | Expliq

How to Raise a Pre-Seed Round in India in 2026 — Deck, Investors, and Closing | Expliq

Stage	What investors expect	Typical raise	Typical valuation
Pre-seed	Strong team, clear problem, early product or MVP	₹50L–3Cr	₹3Cr–15Cr post-money
Seed	MVP live, early users or revenue, some retention data	₹2Cr–10Cr	₹15Cr–60Cr post-money
Series A	Product-market fit, ₹50L+ MRR, clear growth playbook	₹15Cr–80Cr	₹100Cr–400Cr post-money

Indian startup funding stages and benchmarks (2026)

Slide	Purpose	What to include
1. Title	First impression	Company name, one-line description, founder names, contact
2. Problem	Make them feel the pain	Specific problem, who has it, how they currently suffer. Use data and a real customer quote.
3. Solution	The aha moment	What you build, how it solves the problem. Show the product — screenshot or demo gif.
4. Market size	Validate the opportunity	TAM / SAM / SOM with sources. India-specific numbers if relevant. Show it is big enough to justify a fund-returning outcome.
5. Product	Prove you can build it	Key features, demo screenshots, what makes it defensible
6. Traction	De-risk the investment	Users, revenue, waitlist, partnerships, pilot customers — whatever you have. Be honest about early stage.
7. Business model	Show you know how you make money	How you charge, unit economics if known, LTV/CAC if you have data
8. Go-to-market	Show you can grow	How you will acquire your first 100, then 1,000 customers. Be specific, not generic.
9. Team	The most important slide	Why you? Specific relevant experience, domain expertise, previous startup experience
10. Financials	Show you can plan	18-month projection, key milestones, burn rate, runway after this raise
11. The ask	Clear call to action	How much you are raising, at what valuation/terms, what you will achieve with it

Pre-seed pitch deck structure — 11 slides that close rounds

Instrument	How it works	Best for	Watch out for
SAFE	Converts to equity at the next priced round. No interest, no maturity date.	Fast closes with angels. India-adapted SAFEs now standard.	Valuation cap too low can mean heavy dilution at Series A
Convertible note	Debt that converts to equity at next round. Has interest rate (8–10%) and maturity date.	Investors who prefer debt instruments.	Interest accumulates. Maturity date creates pressure.
Equity (priced round)	Direct share purchase at agreed valuation. Requires full cap table, shareholder agreement.	Larger cheques (₹1Cr+) where investor wants certainty on ownership.	Expensive legally (₹2–5L in legal fees). Takes 4–8 weeks to close.

Pre-seed investment instruments in India