Most entrepreneurs want to start companies solving problems in a never-done-before way and go where others haven’t..but these venture money people are the exact opposite. Their mantra is “I’m going to do the same thing everybody else does, because they might be doing something right.” This herd mentality runs deep in the VC firms globally but in India, where venture capital is limited and hard to come by, and is stifling innovation.
In fact, I’ve been told by an Analyst at one of these funds that they are specifically told not to meet with companies that are attempting something ‘absolutely new’. They go by a shopping checklist to satisfy their LPs and follow the few cool cliques; sentiments are created by this bunch, and the overall effect is a herd mentality. And not to forget, a lot of these partners are super fearful people. They just don’t want to be singled out for the blame if anything goes wrong. So much for supporting entrepreneurs who’re largely a fearless clan.
While most of them would talk about bottom line fundamentals to press, they actually value me-too businesses and a lottery ticket over solid ideas that need more visibility.
No wonder, it has led us to where we are:
- Several (not all) VCs continue to invest in under developed business models just because the coolest fund around lead the start-up’s first round of funding.
- Meanwhile, other VCs will now follow the trend and fund any start-up that is doing ‘something similar’ because they have a deep-seated FOMO.
- A few months down the line cracks begin to appear in the team, business model, TAM etc. and many other copy-paste startups have already cluttered the ecosystem.
- Now, this causes other investors to shy away from the space to the detriment of other better companies that need funding to accelerate growth. And, of course, the lousy start-ups that got funding at undeserving high valuations struggle to raise more capital, without creating any real value in the process, leading to negative sentiments.
Another thing I’ve identified during my fundraising journey is that I connect more with VCs who were entrepreneurs before. These people tend to be supportive from the go, communicate better, have a vision, and behave more like partners rather than gods. Most importantly, they tend to be more sincere and clear what they want out of the time they spend with the management. But isn’t it really surprising to know that such entrepreneur-turned-VCs barely exist in the Indian ecosystem? Indian VCs really need to become less fearful, gain more vision, become more open minded and relook their methodologies. Just as a spunky and bold attitude is unconditionally a must for a successful entrepreneur, these traits are absolutely necessary for VCs as well. And this has to translate more than just B-Plan analysis and risk taking, it is the courage to support radicalism, and not listen to the herd. It takes an effort and a solid vision, let’s face it—it’s never easy.
All in all, excessive attention by VCs to some specific spaces and virtual neglect of other business models has led to underinvested opportunities in India.
The best performing funds/investors aren’t influenced much by the opinion of other investors. A lot of investors claim that the key to success is finding the next Facebook. In my view, this is the very reason why any of the VC firms in India have failed to build the next Facebook. It can never be about discovering the next Facebook or AirBnb, it’s about positioning your fund to celebrate radical game changing ideas.
What do you disagree with? What do you agree with? What did I miss? Let me know.
[About The Author: Bharat Sethi is a start-up enthusiast with a lot of interest in building marketplaces, e-commerce, and retail design. He started selling art on Ebay at age 16 while still in school. He founded PosterGully in early 2012 as a side project to continue with his interest in solving the monetisation problem for artists & designers. Since then, he’s played an integral part in building a cult brand within its target audience, getting over 6 million users to the unique marketplace. You can reach out to him at bharat@postergully.com.]
