Can a newly formed startup apply?
A new Georgian LLC does not need years of statements to request a corporate account, but the absence of history increases the importance of the founders, funding and plan. The bank must understand what the company will do and why the projected activity is credible.
State the current stage accurately: idea, prototype, MVP, pilot, first customers or established revenue. Do not present future features as completed products. Evidence such as prototypes, domain, product deck, research, pilot correspondence and development records can support the narrative.
The bank is not deciding whether the startup is a good investment. It is assessing identity, lawful purpose, funding and expected transactions. A concise operational explanation is more useful than an ambitious pitch deck alone.
Show the founders’ experience and responsibilities
Identify each founder, shareholding, professional background and role. Explain who develops the product, manages sales, controls finances and makes decisions. Where founders live and pay tax should be clear.
Relevant prior employment, projects, companies or education can demonstrate ability to execute. If a founder is only an investor, distinguish that role from operational management. Adviser names should not be presented as team members unless their engagement is real and documented.
Founder agreements, cap tables, vesting and option plans should be consistent with registry records. Future fundraising plans can be described, but current control must be transparent.
Turn the startup concept into a bank-ready model
Explain the customer problem, product or service, target market, delivery channel and pricing. Identify whether revenue will come from subscriptions, licences, transactions, services, product sales or commissions. Regulated functions should be separated from ordinary technology or commercial activity.
Evidence may include an MVP, demo, website, pilot agreement, letter of intent, supplier quotation, product specification or customer interview summary. Protect confidential information, but provide enough substance for the bank to understand why payments will occur.
If the model changes during development, update the bank before launching materially different activity. A company onboarded for software consulting should not begin processing customer funds or operating a financial platform without review.
Founder capital, investors and startup financing
Document the amount required for the first operating period and how it will be provided. Founder capital and shareholder loans should come from traceable accounts and be supported by the contributor’s source-of-wealth evidence.
For angel or venture investment, provide the investment agreement, investor identity, cap table and payment schedule. SAFE instruments, convertible notes and grants should be described according to their real legal form. Crowdfunding and token funding can raise additional questions.
A large forecast with minimal committed capital may not be credible. Connect funding to development, payroll, marketing, inventory and professional costs. The bank may ask how long the company can operate before customer revenue.
Create realistic first-year transaction projections
Estimate monthly inflows and outflows, transaction count, currencies, customer and supplier countries, opening balance and expected maximum payment. Use ranges when customer timing is uncertain and separate committed from potential revenue.
Pre-revenue months may consist mainly of founder funding and operating costs. Later receipts should follow contracts or a stated launch plan. Explain one-time investment payments separately from ordinary sales.
Update the bank when fundraising, turnover or countries change materially. A startup’s evolution is expected, but unexplained deviations can delay transfers.
Documents for a startup corporate account
Prepare registry extract, charter, ownership and control chart, directors, signatories and UBO KYC. Add founder CVs, business or product description, website, prototype evidence, contracts or letters of intent, cap table, funding agreements and transaction forecast.
Owners and investors may need passports, address and tax-residence evidence, statements and source-of-wealth documents. Foreign corporate investors require their own registry and ownership records.
Confirm apostille, legalisation and translation requirements before certification. Remote opening can require originals, while an in-person Tbilisi application may follow a different document route.
Startup activities requiring early feasibility review
Fintech, payments, crypto, gambling, lending, investment services, health products, controlled technology, marketplaces holding customer money and regulated professional services may require licences or fall outside a bank’s ordinary appetite. Describe functionality precisely.
Do not minimise a regulated element by calling the company a software startup. The bank will assess actual users, money flows and contractual responsibility. Obtain specialist legal advice where licensing may apply.
A prior founder business closure, processor termination or banking decline should be disclosed when relevant. Transparent context is safer than inconsistencies discovered during review.
Open the startup account in Tbilisi or remotely
Tbilisi provides access to corporate banking teams and is our primary location. For an eligible straightforward startup with a representative present, our corporate assistance starts from €300 and includes KYC preparation, appointment coordination and follow-up.
Batumi may be possible by prior arrangement. Remote onboarding is assessed individually and can require certified company records, a bank-specific PoA, video identification and originals. Founder availability and ownership complexity affect feasibility.
No introduction, accelerator participation or premium package guarantees approval. The licensed bank determines the account, products, limits and timing.