Pre-IPO & Unlisted Shares
Introductions to vetted brokers and regulated funds dealing in unlisted and pre-IPO equity, with independent verification of the counterparty, the paperwork and the tax position before you commit.
The principle
Interest in unlisted equity has grown faster than the infrastructure around it. Shares change hands over the counter, between private parties or through brokers who specialise in the segment, and the quality of those intermediaries varies enormously.
Beckon is not an investment adviser and does not tell members what to buy. What we do is the part most people get wrong: verifying who is on the other side of the trade, confirming that the shares exist and are transferable, checking that settlement will happen the way it was described, and making sure you understand the lock-in and tax position before money moves rather than after.
SEBI draws a clear line between regulated pooled vehicles such as Alternative Investment Funds and the informal dealer network that sells unlisted shares through private channels. Both exist. They are not the same thing, and a member should know which one they are dealing with.
What we arrange
01
Before anything else, who are you actually transacting with. Entity verification, regulatory registration where applicable, track record, and confirmation that the shares being offered are held and deliverable. This is the step that separates a transaction from a story.
02
Direct purchase from an existing holder, allocation through a broker, or exposure through a registered AIF or PMS. Each has different minimums, different protections and a different regulatory character. We set out the trade-offs and introduce you accordingly.
03
Off-market transfers settle differently from exchange trades. We ensure the demat transfer mechanics, payment sequencing and documentation are agreed in writing before funds are released, and that you are not the party taking timing risk.
04
Under SEBI's ICDR Regulations, non-promoter pre-IPO shareholders are subject to a six-month lock-in from listing. Promoters face eighteen months on the minimum promoter contribution and six months on holdings above it. Knowing which category you fall into determines when you can actually realise the position.
The Beckon standard
Questions, answered once
For transfers on or after 23 July 2024, gains on unlisted shares held more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5 per cent without indexation. Held 24 months or less, the gain is short-term and added to your income at your slab rate. Surcharge and cess apply on top. Section 50CA also matters: selling below fair market value computed under Rule 11UA means the fair market value, not your actual price, is treated as the consideration. Confirm your own position with your chartered accountant.
Non-promoter pre-IPO shareholders, which is the category most private investors fall into, face a six-month lock-in from listing under SEBI's ICDR Regulations. Anchor investors have a split lock-in of thirty days on half the allotment and ninety days on the balance. Before listing there is generally no lock-in on private transfers.
Then you hold an illiquid position in a private company, possibly for a long time and possibly permanently. This is the central risk of the category and it is not a remote one. Size the position on the assumption that an IPO may not happen.
No. Advising on securities in India requires SEBI registration and we do not hold it. We verify counterparties, arrange introductions to registered intermediaries, and make sure you understand the mechanics. The investment decision is yours, taken with your own regulated adviser.
Yes, and the same verification applies in reverse: we confirm the buyer is real, that settlement will happen as described, and that you understand the tax position before you transfer. Section 50CA matters particularly here, because selling below fair market value computed under Rule 11UA means that fair market value, not your actual price, is treated as the consideration.
By call, message or WhatsApp to your concierge. There is no form, no ticket number and no queue. One line is enough to begin.
Beckon is Rs. 4,00,000 annually with a Rs. 1,00,000 joining fee, exclusive of GST. Beckon Black is by invitation only. Service costs are billed separately at actuals, with no commissions and no markups.
No. Vendor and supplier invoices are passed to you exactly as received. Beckon is paid by your membership, which is why our recommendation is never for sale.
Beckon members are supported from ten in the morning to ten at night, seven days a week. Beckon Black members have a named relationship manager available at every hour.
Every request is held by a single named concierge. Details are not circulated internally, staff are bound by confidentiality undertakings, and Beckon signs a non disclosure agreement with any member who asks.
No. Membership is limited instead. We keep the house small so that no concierge is ever carrying more than they can hold properly.
Yes. Our members live and travel across London, Dubai, Singapore, Zurich, New York and the Mediterranean, and we hold relationships in each.
Through introduction by an existing member, or through an application read personally by our secretary. Every applicant meets us before an invitation is extended.
A private conversation
A line, a call or a message is enough. Your concierge will ask what is necessary and take the rest from there.
Speak to BeckonService costs are billed separately at actuals. No commissions, no markups.