SME Advisory: Virtual CFO, GST and compliance services for Indian SMEs
SME Advisory provides expert-led SME advisory services for startups, SMEs and global businesses in India. Our SME advisors handle business setup, compliance, finance and cross-border work, from Pvt Ltd and LLP setup to FDI, ODI, conversions, valuation and investor readiness.
Who We Serve
Specialised playbooks for every type of business.
Entity selection, incorporation, DPIIT registration, cap table readiness, startup compliance, and scale-up advisory.
Best for: Founders incorporating, seeking DPIIT registration, or scaling with expert-led compliance.
For Startups →Managed compliance, GST and TDS filings, ROC, virtual CFO, MIS reporting, and outsourced finance office.
Best for: Businesses managing GST, TDS, ROC, payroll and outsourced finance needs.
For SMEs →NRI taxation, FEMA compliance, repatriation, property transactions, and returning NRI financial planning.
Best for: NRIs managing Indian income, investments, property, and returning to India.
For NRIs →From incorporation to ESOP to IPO — a CA partner for every stage of the founder journey.
Best for: Founders who need a single CA partner across incorporation, ESOPs, fundraising and IPO.
For Founders →Freelancers and solopreneurs billing overseas clients — GST LUT, FIRC, FEMA and S.44ADA tax compliance.
Best for: Indian freelancers and consultants receiving USD/GBP/EUR from foreign clients.
For Freelancers →India entry strategy, WOS and branch office setup, FEMA/RBI filings, and complete back-office for foreign-owned entities.
Best for: Overseas parents entering India via WOS, branch, liaison or project office.
For Foreign Companies →Indian companies planning overseas subsidiaries, JVs or ODI-compliant structures — FEMA/RBI structuring, route analysis and ongoing reporting support.
Best for: Indian companies setting up overseas subsidiaries or JVs under the ODI framework.
Plan Your Expansion →One Expert-Led Team for Every Business Need
Five service pillars covering the full lifecycle of an Indian business.
Entity selection, incorporation, DPIIT registration, India entry structuring, and first-year compliance.
We help founders and foreign companies choose the right structure (Pvt Ltd, LLP, OPC, WOS or branch) and complete incorporation, PAN/TAN, GST and first-year filings. Best suited for new businesses, NRI founders and overseas parents entering India.
Formation services ->GST, TDS, ROC, payroll, annual filings, and FEMA/RBI reporting — calendar-based coordination.
We run statutory compliance — GST, TDS, ROC, payroll, annual returns and FEMA/RBI filings — on a managed compliance calendar. For growing SMEs, startups and foreign-owned entities that need filing coordination without an in-house finance team.
Compliance services ->Bookkeeping, MIS, payroll processing, virtual CFO, and ERP support.
We act as your outsourced finance department — bookkeeping, monthly MIS, payroll, ERP setup and a fractional CFO for budgeting, cashflow and board reporting. Ideal for revenue-stage startups and SMEs that need finance leadership without a full-time hire.
Virtual CFO & Finance ->FDI route analysis, WOS/JV setup, ODI structuring, and India back office for foreign entities.
We handle inbound and outbound cross-border work — FDI route analysis, WOS/JV setup and FEMA/RBI compliance for foreign companies entering India, and ODI structuring with AD-bank coordination for Indian companies investing abroad. For overseas parents and Indian groups expanding globally.
Cross-border services ->Business restructuring, entity conversions, valuation, financial models, pitch decks, and investor readiness.
We support business restructuring (proprietorship/partnership to LLP or Pvt Ltd), CA-signed valuation reports, 3-statement financial models, pitch decks and investor due-diligence readiness. Designed for founders preparing for funding, partner exit or structural upgrade.
Valuation & Fundraising ->Why Founders and Finance Teams Choose Us
Every engagement is led by a qualified CA with Big 4 and multinational background, not delegated to juniors.
Filing coordination with compliance calendar, advance reminders, and acknowledgement delivery.
Defined deliverables, timelines and fee confirmed in a written engagement letter.
One team handles setup, FEMA, banking, tax, and ongoing compliance for foreign companies entering India.
Led by a Finance Expert with Multinational Depth
Regi Tom Antony brings over 30 years of experience across Indian and international business advisory. His credentials span multiple jurisdictions — MBA (Australia), ACMA (CIMA UK), CGMA (AICPA USA), CISA (ISACA USA) — and include senior roles at Crowe Horwath Consultants and board-level involvement in establishing and managing subsidiaries of Siemens and Westcon/Comstor Group across Asia and the Middle East. Every engagement is expert-led, not delegated.
Part of a Professional Network
SME Advisory works alongside three sister practices that extend our depth across regulated CA services, NRI cross-border advisory, and growth-stage consulting.
How We Work
A simple four-step engagement model from first call to ongoing support.
We understand your stage, structure and goals before recommending anything.
Written engagement letter with clear scope, deliverables, timelines and fee.
Filings, registrations, documents and authority coordination handled by experienced finance professionals.
Compliance calendar, advance reminders, monthly reporting and quarterly review calls.
Client Scenarios
Anonymised, illustrative engagements across our service areas.
US tech startup — Indian WOS set up in 45 days
Incorporated as an Indian wholly-owned subsidiary; FEMA compliance, RBI filings (FC-GPR, FLA) and first-year back-office completed within 45 days.
Kerala partnership converted to LLP ahead of PE entry
Form 17 conversion, PAN/GST migration and bank transition completed within 30 days to make the entity investor-ready.
Indian SaaS company expanded to Singapore via ODI
Structure memo, Form ODI, AD-bank documentation and Annual Performance Report (APR) supported end-to-end.
Kochi SME — 3 years of compliance backlog regularised
Pending GST, TDS and ROC filings cleaned up, late fees minimised and a forward compliance calendar put in place.
Pre-Series A startup — investor-ready in one engagement
CA-signed valuation report, 3-statement financial model and pitch deck delivered for the fundraising round.
How we scope and quote engagements
Fees depend on the nature and complexity of the work, number of entities and countries, transaction volume, reporting frequency, deadlines, and whether the engagement is ongoing or one-off. After an initial discussion we send a written engagement letter setting out the scope, deliverables, timelines and fee.
Company Formation + Essentials
- Pvt Ltd / LLP / OPC incorporation with PAN, TAN & GST
- MCA filing and first-year compliance
- Expert CA guidance throughout setup
Everything in LaunchPad + Ongoing Compliance
- Monthly GST, TDS and ROC filings
- Payroll for up to 10 employees
- MIS reporting and dedicated CA support
Everything in ScaleUp + Growth Tools
- Virtual CFO — 8 hrs / month with budget & cashflow planning
- ERP setup (Tally / Zoho) and investor-ready financials
- DPIIT startup registration
Specialist advisory for ODI, conversions, valuation and India entry is scoped on engagement. Talk to us →
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about what we do and who we work with.
Insights
Practical guides on setup, compliance, tax, and finance for Indian businesses.
What Are Company Secretarial Services? A Guide for Indian Companies
Company secretarial services explained: board meetings, minutes, registers, ROC filings, small-company relief and what a practising CA or CS can sign.
ROC Annual Filing Calendar for a Private Limited Company in India
Month-by-month ROC filing calendar: MBP-1, DIR-8, MSME-1, DPT-3, three-yearly DIR-3 KYC, AGM, ADT-1, AOC-4, MGT-7/7A and LLP Form 11 and Form 8.
DPIIT Startup Recognition and Tax Holiday: 2026 Guide for India
DPIIT startup recognition after February 2026: eligibility, ₹200 crore and deep-tech limits, documents, steps, and the separate section 140 tax holiday.
Ready to Build Your Business on Solid Foundations?
Book a 30-minute consultation with Regi Tom Antony. India entry, compliance, finance, or tax — we handle it end to end.