Admissions open Course code: STM

Certificate in Startup Management

Build, run and scale a startup — product, growth, finance, team and fundraising

A five-month weekend programme for founders and early startup teams: product–market fit, lean experiments, growth metrics, unit economics, financial modelling, hiring and ESOP basics, legal essentials, the Indian startup ecosystem, and preparing to raise funds with a pitch deck.

5 months · 126 hours
Live online classes on Google Meet
QR-verifiable certificate

Enroll in this course Fee & refund information

Total programme fee: ₹44,999
Duration: 5 months · 126 hours
Next batch: 06 Feb 2027

Overview

About this course

Starting a company is one thing; managing it through its first few years is another. This five-month programme covers the management side of a startup — deciding what to build, measuring traction, managing cash, hiring the first team, staying compliant and preparing to raise money — with case studies from Indian startups in areas such as edtech, D2C, SaaS, agritech and fintech.

Throughout the course you apply each topic to your own startup or to a case company: you define metrics, build a financial model, set quarterly goals and draft a pitch deck. The aim is to help you make better decisions with the resources you have.

How the course runs

Classes are held live on Google Meet every Saturday and Sunday morning, which suits founders and working professionals. Weekend sessions combine frameworks, case discussions and working time on your own startup documents.

Product–market fit, lean experiments and product management basics
Growth metrics, unit economics, financial modelling and cap table basics
Funding options in India, investor pitch decks and due-diligence readiness

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Assess problem–solution fit and product–market fit using customer evidence and retention data
Run lean experiments and prioritise a product roadmap
Track startup metrics such as CAC, LTV, churn, retention and burn rate on a simple dashboard
Build a three-year financial model with revenue, costs, runway and break-even
Explain funding stages — bootstrapping, grants, angel, seed, venture capital and debt — and how dilution and cap tables work
Plan early hiring, roles, equity and ESOP basics, and set quarterly goals with OKRs
Understand key legal topics: company structure, founders' agreement, IP, data privacy and DPIIT startup recognition
Prepare an investor pitch deck and a due-diligence document checklist

Syllabus

10 modules · approximately 126 hours of live training

Module 1Startup fundamentals and the Indian ecosystem 10 hrs

How a startup differs from a small business, the startup lifecycle, and the roles of incubators, accelerators, investors and government programmes such as Startup India.

Module 2Problem–solution fit and customer discovery 12 hrs

Customer interviews, jobs-to-be-done, early adopters, and defining the problem precisely enough to build for it.

Module 3Lean product development and product management 16 hrs

MVPs, experiment design, user feedback loops, roadmaps and prioritisation frameworks, and working with designers, developers and no-code tools.

Module 4Product–market fit, growth and metrics 16 hrs

Retention and cohort analysis, acquisition channels, CAC and LTV, funnels, a North Star metric and a weekly metrics dashboard.

Module 5Go-to-market, sales and partnerships 12 hrs

B2B and B2C go-to-market plans, pricing strategy, building a sales pipeline in a CRM, and channel partnerships.

Module 6Startup finance and financial modelling 16 hrs

Revenue and cost assumptions, three-statement basics, burn rate, runway, unit economics and scenario planning in Google Sheets or Excel.

Module 7Fundraising and investor relations 14 hrs

Funding stages, grants and incubator support, angel and venture capital, valuation and dilution basics, cap tables, common term-sheet terms, due diligence and investor updates.

Module 8Team, culture and operations 12 hrs

Co-founder roles, hiring the first employees, ESOP basics, OKRs, managing remote teams and setting an operating rhythm.

Module 9Legal, compliance and risk 8 hrs

Choosing a company structure, founders' agreement, IP and trademarks, key contracts, data privacy and DPIIT startup recognition — at an awareness level.

Module 10Capstone: investor pitch and operating plan 10 hrs

A pitch deck, financial model and 12-month operating plan for your startup or case company, presented for faculty feedback.

Eligibility

Minimum qualification: Graduate in any discipline, or Class 12 / Higher Secondary pass with work or business experience
A startup idea, an early-stage startup or a role in one — or the willingness to work on a case company
Comfort with spreadsheets for financial modelling (key formulas are revised in class)
A laptop or desktop with a stable internet connection

Who should join

Founders and co-founders of early-stage startups, from idea stage to first revenue.
Aspiring founders who want to understand how startups are built and funded before taking the leap.
Early employees and members of product, operations or growth teams in startups.
Incubator staff and college entrepreneurship-cell members who support student startups.

Assessment & certification

Component	Maximum marks	Minimum required
Startup assignments (experiments and metrics dashboard)	25	—
Financial model	20	—
Case study analyses	15	—
Capstone: pitch deck and operating plan	40	16
Total	100	50% overall

Minimum attendance required: 75% of sessions held.
On successful completion: Certificate in Startup Management and a marksheet, after review and approval.

Awarded by Appsgain Technologies on successful completion of the 5-month live online programme, including assessments; verifiable online with its certificate number or QR code.

Batches

Choose the batch whose dates and class timings suit you. All times in prashant.

Starts 06 Feb 2027
Open

Batch dates
06 Feb 2027 – 04 Jul 2027

Class timings
Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM IST

Seats
40 seats left

Apply by
Apply by 30 Jan 2027

₹44,999 Apply for this batch: Starts 06 Feb 2027

Training schedule

The detailed class timetable is published before the batch begins. Regular timings: Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM IST.

Joining links are never shown. Approved applicants with verified payment join each class with its Join button, which opens shortly before the class starts.

Joining online classes

Keep your startup documents (metrics sheet, financial model and pitch deck draft) open for the working sessions. Join with your registered name so attendance can be marked.

Questions about this course

Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions about this course.

How long is the course, and when are the classes?

The course runs for five months, with live classes on Google Meet every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM IST — about 126 hours of live training. Classes are taught in English, with Hindi support where needed. The current batch dates and the last date to apply are shown on this page.

Do I need a startup already? Should I choose this or the Certificate in Entrepreneurship?

You do not need a running startup. Founders apply each topic directly to their company; others work on their own idea or on a case company provided in class and complete the same assignments. If you are still looking for an idea or planning a local business, the Certificate in Entrepreneurship is a better starting point. Startup Management suits people building, or working in, a startup that aims to scale — often technology-based — and goes deeper into metrics, financial models, teams and fundraising.

Will the course connect me with investors or help me raise funds?

No. The course does not arrange introductions to investors, incubators or banks, and it does not guarantee funding. It teaches how fundraising works and helps you prepare your pitch deck, financial model and documents so that you can approach investors and programmes yourself. Startup India and DPIIT recognition are covered as learning topics; this course is an independent training programme and is not part of any government scheme.

What if I miss a weekend class?

Class notes, templates and assignment briefs are shared with enrolled learners, so you can catch up on what was covered and bring your questions to the next weekend. Attendance is recorded for every session, and you need at least 75% attendance across the sessions held to be eligible for the certificate.

What does the fee cover, and how do I pay?

The total fee shown on this page is for the full five-month programme and covers all live sessions, assessments and the certificate. After you apply, you can pay using the payment options listed on the Fees page; please read that page and the Refund and Cancellation Policy before paying.

What certificate will I receive?

Learners who meet the attendance requirement and score at least 50% overall, including the minimum mark in the capstone pitch deck and operating plan, receive the Certificate in Startup Management from Appsgain Technologies with a marksheet, after review and approval. Anyone can verify it online using the certificate number or QR code. It is a skill-training certificate, not a degree, licence, government recognition or guarantee of funding.

Still have a question?

Our team will be happy to help.

Enroll in this course FAQs Contact us

Explore more

Other courses

View all courses