Begin with a problem you can observe
Write down who needs help, what they are trying to do and where the difficulty occurs. For example, “Students need better education” is too broad to test. “First-year students struggle to prepare for their first internship interview” gives you a specific group and task.
Speak to people who face the problem before choosing an app, shop or company structure. Ask about a recent experience and what they already do to manage it. Separate what you heard from what you assume.
Describe a small, useful offer
Specify the service or product, who would use it, who might pay and what you can deliver with the time and skills you have. The user and the payer can be different people. For a school workshop, for example, the learner may be a student while the purchasing decision sits with the institution.
Work out what a first attempt requires
List the cash, materials, hours and permissions needed for a trial. Keep one-time purchases separate from costs that repeat with each order. Record what you can afford to lose and the point at which you will stop or change the test. Do not treat revenue as profit.
Illustrative example: a workshop receives ₹5,000 and has ₹3,500 of direct costs. The ₹1,500 difference still needs to cover overheads, tax and the value of the founder’s time.
Choose your next step from the evidence
After the trial, compare what you expected with what happened. Continue, revise the offer or stop. Registration and fundraising are separate decisions. Before trading or running a regulated activity, check the approvals that apply to your location and activity; a small pilot is not automatically exempt.
Startup India offers an entrepreneurship learning programme. NSWS can help identify potential approvals, but its own guidance asks users to check relevant government portals for additional requirements.
Sources & further reading
- Startup India — Learning & Development ↗
- National Single Window System — About the approvals service ↗
Sources checked on 17 September 2026. For the latest rules and course availability, follow the official links below. The exercises are designed by PLS Foundation to help you plan your next step.