What Is ESOP in India? Everything Employees Need to Know
Your offer letter arrived with a line you weren’t entirely sure about. Something about ESOPs – a number of options, a strike price, a vesting schedule. Your colleagues speak about it with either excitement or resignation. And somewhere in the back of your mind sits a question you haven’t quite asked out loud: What is […]
Best ESOP Management Software in India (2026): Why Hissa Is Built Differently
Green checkmarks on table comparison can tell you which is the best ESOP management software on paper, but they actually tell you nothing about what happens when reality gets messy. And ESOPs are messy by design. Most buyers start the same way. They go to G2, search “ESOP management software” and land on a clean […]
What Is Capital Gains Tax on ESOP Shares in India? | Hissa
You exercised your ESOPs. You paid the tax. Now you’re holding shares that might change your life – if you sell them right. And that’s where most ESOP conversations quietly fall apart. Capital gains tax on ESOPs isn’t complicated, but it is misunderstood. Many employees don’t realise how much timing alone can change what they […]
Perquisite Tax on ESOPs in India: What Every Employee Must Know | Hissa
When you exercise your ESOPs, you pay income tax on your notional gain immediately even though you haven’t sold a single share yet. This is called perquisite tax, and it’s the main reason why Indian startup employees never exercise their options at all. Understanding how perquisite tax works before you exercise can save you from […]
How to Read Your ESOP Grant Letter: What Every Indian Startup Employee Must Know | Hissa
Your ESOP grant letter is the single most important document you will sign at a startup. Most employees sign it without reading it properly. This guide tells you exactly what to look for and what the red flags are. A grant letter is a legal contract between you and your employer. It specifies how many […]
How to Assess If Your ESOP Plan Is Actually Good
Most employees in Indian startups have little to no idea whether their ESOP plan will make them wealthy or leave them with a tax bill and no cash. In this blog you will learn how to assess if your ESOP plan is actually good. So how do we know? That’s not their fault. The people […]
ESOP Trusts: A Growing Employee Incentive Trend | Hissa
In the competitive world of employee incentives, stock options have emerged as a powerful tool to attract and retain top talent. However, navigating the complexities of stock option plans can be daunting for both companies and employees. Enter the ESOP Trust structure – a modern solution that simplifies the administration and governance of stock options. […]
Investor-Ready: Crafting a Winning Pitch Deck for Maximum Impact | Hissa
In the bustling startup world, every day sees a flurry of new ventures launching, each vying for a spot in the limelight. Yet, like the tiny turtle hatchlings that face countless perils on their journey to the ocean, only a fraction of these startups will navigate the challenges of the business world and achieve remarkable […]
Unlocking Liquidity: Understanding Secondary Sale of Stock | Hissa
Navigating the world of private company stock can be tricky when looking to cash in on shares. Unlike publicly traded stocks, shares in private companies aren’t listed on any stock exchange, making them much harder to sell. Enter the secondary sale of stock: a vital but often overlooked mechanism that allows these stakeholders to liquidate […]
Stock Option Buyback: What Employees Need to Know | Hissa
Stock options are an enticing component of employee compensation, offering a chance to share in a company’s success. Yet, converting these options into real financial gains can often seem complex and confusing. One of the most direct ways to achieve liquidity from stock options is through a company buyback program. This blog aims to answer […]
ESOP Audit: Protect Your Company’s Future – Act Before It’s Too Late | Hissa
With the increasing adoption of Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs), accurately recording ESOP details in a company’s books has become crucial. Even minor errors can lead to significant consequences, such as penalties from authorities and the need for extensive revisions to financial statements. For instance, there was a notable case where a company misclassified the value […]
Founder Exit: Ensuring Stability and Future Growth | Hissa
In the fast-paced world of start-ups, change is a given, and one of the biggest shifts is when a founder exits. While this can be tough, it doesn’t have to spell disaster. With the right preparation, it can actually be a chance for growth and new possibilities. When a founder steps down, it can unsettle […]
