Mehul Shah

Partner at Rasesh Shah and Co, Co-Founder and Advisor at Counselvise, Key stakeholder/Partner at iKoVerk Co-working space, Consultant at ITATOrders, Co-Founder at IVY Growth Associates, Private Investor in Unvind Cafe, Advisor to Multiple Startups

Tax and AuditingStartup FundraisingFinancial ModelingInvestment Banking for Early-Stage StartupsStartup Ecosystem BuildingMentorship

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About

I'm Mehul Shah, a Chartered Accountant and Partner at Rasesh Shah and Co, with multiple roles in the startup ecosystem including Co-Founder at IVY Growth Associates and Advisor to Multiple Startups. My career started in traditional finance and auditing, but I've expanded into building startup communities, fundraising support, and investment banking for early-stage companies. I'm passionate about helping founders navigate funding wisely—I believe many raise too early or for the wrong reasons—and I focus on execution over theory. I offer structured fundraising guidance, investor connections, and mentorship, and I'm always looking to connect with startup founders, investors, or anyone excited about innovation and growth. Let's spark something amazing together!

Networking

What I can offer

›Structured fundraising support
›Investor connections
›Mentorship
›Access to grant/equity funding through various companies and initiatives
›Startup ecosystem building and community management

Looking for

›Startup founders
›Investors
›Anyone who shares enthusiasm for innovation and growth

Best fit for

Startup foundersInvestorsProfessionals interested in startup ecosystem roles

Current Interests

Startup fundraisingStartup ecosystem in Surat and Tier-2/Tier-3 citiesNon-dilutive funding and grant opportunities for startupsInvestment banking services for early-stage companiesBuilding startup communities and hosting events

Background

Career

Started as Article Assistant at Rasesh Shah and Associates (2007-2010), then Partner at Rasesh Shah and Co (2010-Present), expanded into startup ecosystem roles including Partner at iKoVerk (2017-Present), Advisor to Multiple Startups (2017-Present), Co-Founder at IVY Growth Associates (2022-Present), Private Investor at Unvind Cafe (2023-Present), and Co-Founder and Advisor at Counselvise (2024-Present)

Education

Higher Secondary Education from C.C. Shah (Field: Biology), Chartered Accountancy (CA) from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, CMA from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, Diploma in IFRS from ACCA (2011-2013), Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting from Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) (2011-2013)

Achievements

›Guided over 100+ startups through the 'Startup India Scheme'
›As Chapter Director of Startup Grind Surat, helped fuel the community through events and programs
›Awarded 'Young Scientist' by IIIT Hyderabad for a Room Ioniser project
›Achieved All India Ranks at all levels of the CA Examination
›Stood 5th in India in CMA Final and 2nd in India in CMA Inter
›Programmed a code and conducted a novel event called 'Share Wars' by setting up a Virtual Stock exchange as part of WICASA - CA Students Association
›iKoMatch platform has over 1,000+ startup founders actively using it for fundraising

Opinions

Many founders raise funding too early or for the wrong reasons; fundraising should be a risk-mitigation exercise for investors, not just a milestone for founders
Most startup founders shouldn't be raising funding and bootstrapped startups often look more credible
A startup's valuation should be based on what helps it reach the next funding milestone in 18-24 months, not 'ego math'
The next massive disruption wave is coming from AI, impacting traditionally 'safe' sectors
Geography (e.g., being based in Surat) is no longer a moat for startups
Believes in 'building Venture Partners. Not hiring employees' and values professionals who can wear multiple hats
Stresses the importance of execution and 'conversations' over theory in fundraising