Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does POD facilitates startup investing?

POD connects promising startups with Angel investors, HNIs and VCs among others. All startups are vetted by our in-house market research specialists before presenting to our signed up investors. After the clearance from the market research specialists, the startups are given the chance to make their business pitch to potential investors. And if the investors find potential in the startup, they can choose to invest in them in return for equity on the platform itself.

2. Who can be an investor on POD?

Any Indian citizen who is 21 years of age and above and has a significant understanding/knowledge of investment can be an investor on POD.

3. What's the minimum amount of investment one can start with on POD?

The minimum amount one can invest through POD is ₹20,000/-.

4. How does the entire process of Startup investing work on POD?

Here is all you need to know about startup investing on POD Startup Investing Process

• Create Profile: Kickstart your angel investing journey by creating a profile on POD.
• Take Assessment Test: Before becoming an investor on POD, investors have to answer a questionnaire to verify their understanding of investment risks in startups.
• KYC Verification: Once the KYC of the investor is successfully verified, they will be onboarded on POD and get access to vetted startups to invest in.
• Invest in Startups: Once the investor finds a startup that's aligned with their vision and interest on "Invest" page, they can go right ahead and invest with a single click.

5. How much does POD charge for each investment you make through the platform?

As of now, POD levies no commission from investors on their investment made through the platform. The primary focus is to create a reliable and transparent ecosystem for investors in promising startups in India.

6. What kind of startups can one invest on POD?

POD lists only promising and fully vetted startups from verticals ranging across Tech, Fintech, Social Entrepreneurship, Lifestyle and even those offering SaaS. Startups need to be in existence for at least 6 months and show significant month over month growth to fall in the initial listing criteria on POD.

7. What if the startup doesn't reach the funding goal? What will happen to my money?

When a startup reaches its funding goal, we transfer the amount received from the investor to the startup's account, and issue the Share Certificate in the name of the investor.
However, on the downside, if a startup fails to reach the set funding target of its goal, it is unlikely that they can act on their proposed business plan. Hence, to protect the investor's funds, the raised funds are refunded.
Therefore, a startup either receives 100% of the funds when it reaches its funding goal, or nothing at all when it fails to.

8. How liquid will my investment be in a startup?

Since there is no platform or exchange body where securities of the startup trade or can sell out, your investment remains highly illiquid. You get to take an exit only on the occurrence of events like LBO/ M&A/ IPO or at the time of selling or winding up of the company.

9. How can investors track the performance/progress of the startups they invested in?

Investors can log in to their Dashboard and access all the details from the Portfolio section on POD, including the progress of the funded campaigns.

10. Will the team at POD also offer advice on how to yield the maximum return on investments? Or point an investor towards the most promising startups?

We, at POD, take full responsibility to provide our investors with all the information related to the startup which will enable investors to make an informed decision.
The investors are liable for all their investment choices, and POD will steer clear of any advisory services at all times.