Cofounder & Chief Operating Officer

Description:

Co-Founder & COO - FinTech Startup, Kolkata

Kolkata, West Bengal | On-site Only | Immediate Joiner

Co-Founder Role | Pre-Seed Stage | 30% Equity

We are a pre-seed FinTech startup based in Kolkata building AI & Statistics driven cutting-edge quantitative equity analytics. We are looking for a Co-Founder & COO to be the operational backbone of the company from day one.

This is a co-founder-level equity role - not a hire. For the initial phase (a few months), compensation is 30% equity. Once the company progresses to revenue and/or fundraising, a market-aligned salary and benefits package will be structured mutually.

PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING:

- This is strictly a Kolkata-based, on-site role - not remote, not hybrid

- Candidates currently in full-time employment will not be considered

- Immediately available candidates only - no notice period

- Part-time ventures or side businesses are fine

- Resume must include complete work history + date of birth for validation

WHAT YOU WILL OWN:

- Drive end-to-end company operations - from process design to execution and scale

- Lead HR, talent acquisition, and culture-building as the team grows

- Own legal, compliance, SEBI regulatory alignment, and secretarial functions

- Manage corporate finance - P&L oversight, cash flow planning, budget management

- Actively drive end-to-end fundraising angels, HNIs, family offices, early-stage VCs; build the investor pipeline, lead pitch meetings, and close the round

- Lead cap table management, term sheet negotiations, and investor relations

- Represent the company at investor forums, accelerator programs, and industry platforms

- Lead vendor, partner, and institutional negotiations

- Build governance, board reporting, and statutory compliance framework

- Collaborate with the technical co-founder to translate product strategy into operational execution

MUST-HAVE QUALIFICATIONS:

- 15+ years of experience spanning company operations, HR, corporate finance, legal & regulatory affairs, and high-stakes negotiations

- Deep knowledge of company balance sheets, cap tables, and term sheets - can read, draft, and negotiate independently

- Strong working knowledge of SEBI regulations, Indian securities law, SEBI Act, LODR, PIT Regulations, RA/RIA framework

- Proven experience representing a company to investors, accelerators, or large platforms

- Startup legal & compliance experience - incorporation, shareholder agreements, statutory filings, DPDP awareness

- Demonstrated ability to set up cross-functional teams and operational SOPs from scratch

- Well-versed with India's startup ecosystem - accelerators, angel networks, VC dynamics; existing relationships preferred

- Actively uses AI productivity tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Notion AI, etc.) as part of daily work non-negotiable in an AI-first company

GOOD TO HAVE:

- Working knowledge of AI, FinTech product landscape, and SaaS business models

- Proficient in Excel / Google Sheets for financial modelling and projections

WHO YOU ARE:

- Extraordinarily energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about the startup journey including the rough patches

- A builder at heart - more excited to create systems than to maintain them

- Decisive, accountable, high autonomy, low hand-holding

- Excellent communicator - with investors, regulators, partners, and your team

- Comfortable with ambiguity and wearing multiple hats simultaneously