Startup Scene in India- Healthy, Wealthy or Noisy?

You can’t employ nine women to deliver a kid in one month. – Skip this post, if you think otherwise!

Quite lately, I am witnessing big time noise regarding indian startup ecosystem and how few individuals are trying to make quick buck (and fame) out of it.

From what I see, everybody seems to believe that bringing startups and VCs under a common roof is what makes a successful event.

An open suggestion to all those who think so:

Most of the startups I know, do not need funding. What they really need is mentorship.

Startups can’t afford to spend 1Lakh rupees a month to meet 5 investors (and pay for their lunch! – yeah! I know one VC who wants startups to pay for his five-star parties) – all startups need is insights, mentorship, help in closing partnerships and maybe, some amount of gyaan from relevant individuals.

Nobody needs gyaan on innovation anymore – I think innovation and ecosystem are the two most abused words these days.

Vijay and I have been discussing this for quite some time and looks like the outburst was well timed:

In the name of “Ecosystem” building, there are going to be quite a few companies which will pop up. There will be everyone from media companies, to magazine publishers, to investment firms launching a whole charade of events under that guise. I would not dare judge, nor tell you what you should do. But I will ask you to do one thing. Judge their intentions. Just ask yourself what is in it for them. Why are they doing the things that they do

I do agree with Vijay – infact, I’d rather add that in general, there is whole lot of noise in startup scene – right from media to bloggers, everybody seems to be in the race to milk startups.

My only suggestion to all ye startups – Know why you want to participate in a startup forum. Is it access to VCs? (in that case, mail me your b-plan and I will connect you to few good ones), or creating awareness of your product?

Or..?

What’er it is – know thy reason.

Otherwise your chances of being fooled by all these entities who are attempting to deliver a kid by employing nine women-and-leave-you-with-just-the-diapers, is very very high.

Most importantly, put your head down, cut the noise and build a good product.

And nothing else matters.
tags: indian startups