Startup Credit Stack for Founders at Day Zero

You’ve just registered the company, maybe raised a friends-and-family round, and still swipe personal cards for AWS and co-working. Clean separation from day one saves tax headaches and unlocks underwriting upgrades faster.

Signal: Two founder cards + one startup-friendly current account usually cover the first ₹25–30 lakh of expenses with <2% fees and 3–5% cashback, while producing audit-ready trails for your first diligence.

Banking Foundation

Need	Account/Product	Why it matters
Main current account	ICICI InstaBIZ Smart VC / HDFC SmartUp	Quick onboarding with startup packs, auto-NEFT/RTGS limits of ₹25–50 lakh.
Secondary/escrow	RazorpayX or Jupiter Business	Virtual accounts for payouts, automated reconciliation, UPI handles for pilots.
Dollar receipts	Wise / Payoneer FIRC-ready accounts	Lets you accept Stripe/Gumroad funds while waiting for AD code approvals.

Tip: Keep director salary accounts separate; reimburse via current account transfers to prove arm’s-length transactions.

Day-Zero Card Stack

Slot	Card	Use case
Founders’ secured safety net	IDFC WOW / AU Small Finance FD-backed card	Build bureau score, acts as backup if other issuers decline.
Daily driver	Axis Ace / SBI Cashback	2–5% on SaaS, ads, rent via platforms; easy to reconcile.
Lifetime-free control	OneCard / SBM Smitch	App-based limits for interns, photo receipts.
Corporate prepaid	Karbon Lite / Volopay / EnKash	Issue virtual cards per SaaS vendor, set auto-lock rules, export-ready ledgers.

90-Day Launch Plan

Week	Action	Output
Week 1	Incorporate, open current + escrow accounts.	Bank letters, cheque books, virtual accounts.
Week 2	Apply for founder personal cards (Axis Ace + SBI Cashback).	Combined limit ≥₹5 lakh for burn runway.
Week 3	Issue prepaid/virtual cards from Karbon/Volopay for SaaS + pilots.	Vendor-specific cards; stop sharing OTPs.
Week 4	Build a payment calendar linking payroll, rent, SaaS renewals to statement cycles.	No more “minimum due” surprises.
Week 5–6	Automate bookkeeping (Zoho, QuickBooks) with bank feeds + card statements.	Investors can audit within minutes.
Week 8+	Track spend vs. budget weekly; request limit bumps after two on-time cycles.	Preps you for premium cards once ARR grows.

Spend Routing Template (₹5 Lakh Monthly Burn)

Category	Amount	Instrument	Notes
Salaries/stipends	₹2,50,000	Current account via payroll tool	Keep directors off payroll until runway stable.
SaaS + infra	₹1,00,000	Karbon/Volopay virtual cards	Per-vendor caps; revoke instantly when churn.
Ads + growth	₹75,000	Axis Ace / SBI Cashback	2–5% back, tie to campaign IDs.
Rent + utilities	₹50,000	Axis Ace (via rent platforms)	1% fee worth the milestone progress.
Travel + events	₹25,000	OneCard / SBM	Issue add-ons to ops lead; collect receipts.

Compliance & Governance Tips

• One spreadsheet to rule them all: Columns: Date, Vendor, GST status, Card used, Category, Attach receipt link. Sync with your CA monthly.
• Keep proof of purpose: Investors love screenshots showing AWS credits, Notion invoices, or vendor contracts attached to card entries.
• No personal UPI for business: Every transfer should originate from the current account or an approved corporate wallet.
• GST + TDS ready: Collect vendor GST numbers early; if a contractor crosses ₹30,000, log TDS obligations even if you plan to pay later.

Upgrade Triggers

• ₹10–15 lakh annual spend with clean statements → eligible for Axis Atlas, HDFC Regalia, and better Karbon/Volopay limits.
• ₹1 crore ARR / ₹50 lakh bank balance → banks pitch premium current accounts (HDFC SmartUp Elite, ICICI Startup Account with FX waivers).
• Keep bureau health high by never revolving personal cards; founders’ personal scores drive business underwriting for the first 18–24 months.

Next Steps

1. Duplicate this stack into a Notion “Finance OS” page with embedded bank links, issuer contacts, and SOPs.
2. Brief your CA/bookkeeper weekly—send them the spend routing template + supporting docs.
3. Revisit the stack every quarter; sunset cards/accounts that no longer add ROI and upgrade to the next tier when thresholds are met.