Tag: Entrepreneurship

  • India’s AI Startup Formula: Wrappers vs Real Tech

    In India’s buzzing AI startup scene, a new formula is trending: take someone else’s pre-built AI model or tool, put a slick user interface on it, and call it an “AI startup.” In other words, repackage existing tech with a shiny wrapper and call it innovation. This approach might create a quick buzz and a functional app, but is it really deep tech — or just surface-level design?

    The Rise of the “Wrapper” AI Startup

    Many new AI ventures today follow this wrapper startup formula. They take an existing AI model or API built by someone else, add a bit of custom code or a slick user interface on top, and then market it as a new product. The pitch often sounds like, “We fixed the UX,” or “We made AI easy for users.” Sure, better UX is valuable – but under the hood, the core engine isn’t theirs. It’s akin to putting a fresh coat of paint on someone else’s machine: it may look new, but the technology driving it is the same.

    Core-Tech AI Startups: Building the Engine

    In contrast, true deep-tech AI startups build their own engines from the ground up. They develop original models, gather proprietary data, and conduct in-house research. These founders can proudly say, “We built the whole engine,” rather than just the shell. This approach is tougher and more time-consuming — it demands serious R&D and patience — but it produces genuine innovation and intellectual property. In other words, real tech happens when the model is yours, the data is yours, and the research is yours.

    Why India Needs More Core Tech Innovation

    If most AI startups here stick to wrapping existing tech, India will remain a consumer rather than a creator of technology. Copying someone else’s tech with a better UI might get you a company, sure. But it won’t build a thriving ecosystem. As the saying goes, a copy can build a company, but only original research builds an ecosystem.

    When Indian startups focus on core tech, they strengthen the nation’s innovation ecosystem. Home-grown AI breakthroughs mean future ventures can build on Indian innovations, academia can partner with industry on cutting-edge projects, and India is seen as a tech creator, not just an adapter. In short, India needs more core-tech creators, not just app builders.

    From Wrapper to Innovator: A Call to Action

    To young builders and founders: aim to be a tech innovator, not just an app assembler. Using existing models and APIs is a fine way to start — it lets you prototype quickly and learn. But don’t stop there. Dive deeper. Learn how those models work under the hood. Collect your own data. Train your own models, even if they start simple. Tackle problems that off-the-shelf tools haven’t cracked. Yes, it’s a tougher path, but that’s where real breakthroughs lie. In the long run, those who build the engine will drive innovation forward. Ask yourself: Are you just fixing the UX, or are you building the whole engine?

  • India Needs Innovators, Not Just Unicorns

    Every startup founder seems to dream of building the next unicorn – a company valued over $1 billion. The billion-dollar tag has become the ultimate goal in India’s tech circles. Funding announcements make headlines, LinkedIn is flooded with celebratory posts, and valuations are flaunted like trophies. But in this frantic race to unicorn status, one question often gets ignored: What about real innovation and solving customer problems?

    The Unicorn Obsession is Killing Innovation

    India now boasts over 100 unicorn startups (118 as of January 2025), and there’s even talk of reaching 1,000 unicorns in the next few years. The startup ecosystem is proud of these numbers, but this obsession with unicorn status is coming at a cost. For many, “startup success” has devolved into a vanity parade of funding rounds and sky-high valuations, rather than impactful products. Announcing a new funding round and touting a multi-million dollar valuation has become more celebrated than actually building a sustainable business or innovative product. In this chase for investor approval and media hype, truly novel ideas often fall by the wayside. The result? Plenty of startups with impressive valuations, but little originality or genuine value to show.

    Worse, the unicorn mania can create unsustainable business practices. Chasing growth at any cost – just to hit that billion-dollar mark – often means burning cash, ignoring revenues, and pushing impractical expansion. It’s no surprise that around 90% of Indian startups fail within 5 years, often because they prioritized aggressive scaling over sustainable business models. A unicorn valuation on paper means nothing if the company collapses under its own weight. We’ve seen even celebrated unicorns like Byju’s and OYO face brutal reality checks – plummeting valuations, losses, and questions about profitability. It begs the question: Is chasing the unicorn label really worth it when it can kill the very innovation and viability a startup was meant to pursue?

    Copycat Ideas and the “Not Scalable” Mindset

    A troubling side effect of this valuation-first mindset is a copycat culture. Every third startup nowadays seems to be a clone of another, bringing the same idea with nothing more than a new UI or a slight tweak. Founders are gravitating toward “proven” concepts that investors find familiar – whether it’s another food delivery service, one more fintech app, or the next e-commerce platform – even if the market is already saturated. Original ideas are often dismissed early with the dreaded remark: “But is it scalable?” In other words, if an idea doesn’t promise a massive, immediate user base and a quick path to a billion-dollar valuation, it’s deemed uninteresting. This mentality stifles creativity. Instead of solving unaddressed customer problems, many startups chase whatever trend VCs are funding this quarter.

    • Herd mentality: If social commerce or crypto is hot, you suddenly get dozens of lookalike startups in that space, all hoping to be the next unicorn.
    • Lack of originality: Pitch decks start to sound the same – “the Uber of X,” “the Amazon of Y” – as entrepreneurs recycle ideas that worked elsewhere, with little innovation.
    • Fear of niche solutions: A founder who dares to tackle a unique niche problem is told it’s “not scalable” because it may not target a billion-dollar market from day one.

    This copy-paste approach might make it easier to get initial funding (since investors recognize the model), but it also means startups are increasingly indistinguishable. When ten companies are doing roughly the same thing, nine of them are redundant. The focus on scale and hype over substance means the true essence of entrepreneurship – creativity, problem-solving, breaking new ground – is getting lost. Innovation dies when everyone is playing it safe and just trying to match a template for “the next big startup” rather than inventing something genuinely new.

    Solve Problems First, Valuation Will Follow

    Lost in all the unicorn hype is a simple business truth: Real businesses are built by solving real problems. The most successful companies didn’t start off obsessed with becoming unicorns; they started by focusing on their users’ pain points and building a product or service that people genuinely needed. Do that right, and valuations have a way of taking care of themselves. In startup vernacular, this means prioritizing product-market fit, customer satisfaction, and sustainable growth over flashy funding news.

    We should celebrate the founders who choose substance over style – those working on meaningful, if unglamorous, solutions. Not every great business will be a unicorn, and that’s okay. If your startup serves customers well, runs profitably, and grows at a healthy pace, you’ve already won. You’re creating value, which is the real point of entrepreneurship. And if that journey takes you to a billion-dollar valuation eventually, it will actually mean something because it’s backed by a solid product and happy users, not just hype.

    It’s time to flip the script. Instead of asking “How can I make this idea scale to a billion-dollar company?”, ask “How can I solve this customer’s problem in a way no one else has?” Focus on building a product that delivers real benefits. Obsess over your users, not your investors. Remember, each “unicorn” was once a small startup obsessing over customers – the valuation came later as a result of success, not the definition of it.

    India Needs Innovators, Not Just Unicorns

    In the end, the Indian startup ecosystem doesn’t need more unicorns for the sake of unicorns; it needs more innovators and problem-solvers. Chasing a unicorn status as a goal in itself is like chasing a mirage – the pursuit might energize you for a while, but it won’t quench the thirst for long-term success. Our measure of success should shift from vanity metrics to real impact. Are we alleviating a pain point for users? Are we improving lives or businesses? These are far more important questions than “What’s our valuation now?”.

    Dear founders: let’s refocus. Build your dhandha (business) by solving a pressing problem or fulfilling an unmet need. Let funding and valuations be by-products, not the end goals. Stop worrying about becoming the next unicorn and start worrying about being the startup that actually makes a difference for its customers. If we get that right, the growth and financial success will follow naturally. And even if it doesn’t turn into a unicorn, you’ll have built something far more enduring: a startup that stands on the solid ground of innovation, customer value, and sustainable progress. India has enough people chasing unicorns; now it needs more people chasing real solutions. Innovate first – the unicorns will take care of themselves.

  • Why India Needs to Think Bigger Than Grocery Apps

    On one side, we see Chinese startups building electric vehicles, semiconductors, AI platforms, and advanced robotics. And on the other side, many Indian startups are busy with food delivery, grocery apps, ice creams, and fantasy sports.

    It’s Not About What’s “Bad”

    Let’s be clear—these sectors aren’t useless. Convenience-driven apps have improved daily life, created jobs, and brought tech to millions. But if our vision as a startup ecosystem stays limited to comfort and convenience, how will India ever become a global tech leader?

    What China Is Building

    China is making its own chips, leading battery technology, and creating global supply chains. It is investing heavily in deep-tech and future-forward infrastructure. Their ambition is global domination—and they’re building like it.

    India’s Missed Opportunity?

    We need to step out of short-term thinking and focus on long-term innovation. Deep-tech is risky. It’s slow. But it’s also where true impact lies. If India wants to lead the world tomorrow, we have to start building like that today.

    Think Big. Build Bold.

    What India has already built is impressive. But what we can build is where our real future lies. We have the talent. We have the energy. Now we need the ambition.

    So let’s stop settling for what’s easy—and start aiming for what’s transformational.

    🇮🇳 Think big. Build bold.

    Conclusion

    India’s startup ecosystem has huge potential—but we must expand our vision beyond comfort. For more thoughts on this topic, check out our YouTube Short(In Hindi):
    Watch the YouTube Short.

  • Can India Create Global Giants? Rethinking Domestic Success for Global Impact

    Can India ever create global giants like Google, Meta, Apple, or Amazon? It’s a big question, and one that Indian entrepreneurs need to ask themselves seriously.

    The Current Mindset

    Many successful Indian entrepreneurs build large companies but then tend to focus only on diversifying within the domestic market. Often, this results in missed opportunities for global expansion.

    The Need for a Global Mindset

    To compete on the global stage, this mindset must change. Success cannot be limited to India alone. Entrepreneurs must start focusing on global standards, international markets, and world-class innovation from the very beginning.

    India’s Untapped Potential

    India possesses unmatched talent and enormous potential. It’s time to ask ourselves: “Why settle for local success when we have the potential to lead globally?” The time has come to change our perspective and aim to create companies that are competitive on the global stage.

    Conclusion

    Building global giants is challenging but achievable. With a strategic focus on innovation, global expansion, and a shift in mindset, India can undoubtedly create its own global technology leaders.

    For more insights on India’s global potential, watch our YouTube Short on this topic:
    Watch the YouTube Short.

  • Why 90% of Indian Startups Fail Within 5 Years – Uncovering the Hidden Pitfalls

    In India, it is often said that 90% of startups shut down within 5 years. But why does this happen? Let’s quickly decode some of the hidden pitfalls that many startups face.

    Chasing Growth Without Profit

    One of the biggest mistakes is focusing solely on growth without ensuring profitability. Many startups spend millions on marketing and rapid scaling, hoping that fast expansion will automatically lead to success. However, if revenue remains low or zero, that growth is unsustainable. The example of Byju’s shows us how high spending on growth can sometimes leave profit on the back burner.

    Market Readiness Is Crucial

    Even if your product is excellent, success is not guaranteed if the market is not ready. Understanding your target market and its readiness is essential before scaling up.

    Internal Challenges and Founder Pressures

    Startup failures are often driven by internal issues such as founder conflicts, poor financial planning, and the overwhelming pressure to grow quickly. These internal struggles can derail even the most promising ventures, leaving founders burnt out or forced to exit.

    Moral of the Story

    The key takeaway is simple: focus on profit, understand your market, and build smartly. Rather than chasing unchecked growth, ensure that every decision is backed by solid planning and thorough market research.

    Conclusion

    Venture capital may seem like a golden ticket, but it comes with hidden costs and pressures that can lead to failure if not managed wisely. Focus on profit, understand your market, and build smart. Otherwise, your company might end up in someone else’s hands.

    For more insights on startup challenges, check out our YouTube Short on this topic:
    Watch the YouTube Short.