Sebi sets rules for start-ups on IGP to migrate to main platform

The lock-in would not apply for companies listed on the IGP for three years or more

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Monday came out with a discussion paper highlighting proposals for allowing a start-up listed on the Innovators Growth Platform (IGP) to trade under the regular category of the main board.

According to the proposals, the company should have listed on the IGP for a year and have a minimum of 200 shareholders for making the shift. The company, or any of its promoters, promoter group or directors, should not have been debarred from accessing the capital market or been a willful defaulter.

Minimum promoters’ contribution should be 20 per cent of the total capital. In case of a shortfall, alternative investment funds, foreign venture capital investors, scheduled commercial banks, public financial institutions or insurance companies can step in, subject to a maximum of 10 per cent of the total capital. This capital shall be locked in for three years from the date on which trading approval on the main board is granted, and any excess over and above the 20 per cent of promoter’s holding shall be locked-in for one year. The lock-in would not apply for companies listed on the IGP for three years or more.

Companies will have to meet the requirements mentioned in Regulation 6(1) or Regulation 6(2) of the ICDR Regulations.

The regulator had eased norms for Indian startups to list on the bourses in December last year, allowing startups in sectors like e-commerce, data analytics and biotechnology to list on the IGP.