Rohan Raj Barua

Frugality & Startups. Is being frugal an important part of an organization at the early stage? That's what we believed when we started, because we knew that resources were limited and we needed to prolong our runway. Subsequently, after a few years, we also learned there will be too many mistakes on the way and the only way to survive is that mistakes can't be costly. My growing up helped a lot in making this change, during graduation my nickname was “Pishukkan pattar”( miser Brahmin in Malayalam, for context I am not a Brahmin). Though that wasn't a nice name then, after starting up I have worn that as a badge of honor and lived every day. We came from a corporate life of flying whenever required and designated car for 7 plus years. Still, when we started up, Puru and I have always taken the train between Mumbai - and Delhi for the initial 4 years and to date only take a cab in between Pune - Mumbai when more than one person is traveling. Bla bla is my default mode of travel and I use those trips to convert co-passengers as True Elements consumers.  Coming from a middle-class household, the biggest benefit one has is we aren't scared about ZERO. We started there and if need be going back there won't be an issue. This doesn't mean failures don't scare us it does but still we are ready to take risks. When the hunger to excel and resilience is coupled with being frugal, then nothing will knock you down. You will have bruises and stitches but you won't be out of the game. Frugal is a subjective word, even Ambanis find this word relevant. The only difference between a commoner and them would be the number of zeros they are comfortable putting on the desk. So don't judge yourself with my frugality and it has to be defined by you and you only. Earlier i used to judge a fresher buying an iphone 15, though i still pass a comment but i dont judge :). In a startup biggest cause of conflict between old-timers and new members is this, who is more frugal? When frugality becomes a culture and every new member is judged on that, it becomes difficult for people joining from big corporations. But freedom for these new members is pivotal so as to check the tensile strength of frugality.  All organization needs to be frugal throughout their journey. The degree of frugality varies depending on their stage and that needs to be challenged and calibrated now and then. Ps: When we raised our first angel, we bought Google Chromebooks because that doesn't need a MS OS & Office and used to come at 17K. The image here is of my desk with my refurbished HP 14-inch with i5 and OS bought for 19k. Yes we are still frugal :)

181

14 Comments

Startup founders in India, I need your input. We're facing significant hurdles with the Google Play Store review process for our app, Queo Health. Current situation: App stuck in review for almost a month Zero feedback from Google Multiple unanswered support tickets 3-month delay in our app launch This lack of communication is severely impacting our business timeline and plans. Despite Google's promise of 48-72 hour response times, we've been waiting for weeks. Questions for the community: Has anyone else experienced such lengthy review times recently? What strategies have you used to get a response from Google Play support? How are you managing the uncertainty in your release schedules? Let's share experiences and solutions. Perhaps together I can find a way to navigate these challenges. #GooglePlayStore #AppReview #StartupChallenges #TechSupport #MobileDevelopment

3

1 Comment

Announcing: Antler Fastrack to Residency - MUMBAI Edition (for founders in Mumbai / Pune / Ahmedabad / Surat) 2 weeks back we announced the first version of Fastrack to Residency through a warm intro to stay true to our promise on delivering faster to the most exceptional founders in Bangalore! We had an overwhelming response of 250+ warm referrals from other VCs, operators, serial founders and were introduced to a vibrant bunch of founders building across bath fittings, offline senior care clubs to CBDCs powered international payments. Of this, we met with 22 founders (and have 30+ we are speaking to virtually given limitation of slots) and offered the residency to 5 teams and individuals within 48 hours! Seeing such a promising response from the ecosystem, we are now coming to Mumbai and hope to see an even bigger outcome! If you are an exceptional founder (individual or team) that’s just starting up, Nitin Sharma & I will spend a full day in Bombay on the 27th of August to talk to you! The only twist - you need to reach us through someone who knows you - and knows us too! Why are we doing this - we announced last month that we are investing $500k in 20 companies (amounting to $10Mn). This is our endeavor to deliver faster and bigger on this promise! What we promise - is a decision into the Residency within 24 hours of us meeting you. Here’s how it will work - (1) Find someone in our networks (cue: some of them would have shared this post on their LinkedIn / Twitter) or would have engaged with us in the past. (2) Show us you are super resourceful :) Ask them to email us / tweet to us / message us on LI / Whatsapp us - any of the Antler team members that they know (there’s 18 of us!) - to give a warm intro to you. Convince them to write a good line or two :)  (3) All shortlisted individuals and teams will get a direct slot with Antler India on Aug 27th meet us IRL in Mumbai. (If you are not shortlisted post the above process, you will hear from us by Aug 24th) (4) You will get a decision to get into the Antler India Residency by Aug 28th Please note that the last date for being referred to this is 21st of August. Do refer great folks our way! Next on the list - NCR in September!

242

30 Comments

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩. Most often, founders of early-stage startups feel that it is too early for them to start defining culture for their company. They feel that culture is something that needs to be built when the company matures. However, in this insightful session that Sandeep Sinha conducted for our portfolio companies, he emphasised the need and importance of creating a culture right at the onset of an entrepreneurial journey and at the very beginning of a startup's life. Read a summary of this insightful session on this link https://bit.ly/3ZRoYHv Sandeep Sinha Pankaj Bansal (पंकज बंसल) Karann Mittal

16

2 Comments

Simple Takeaways from Meeting with VC Anup Jain At Startup Mahakumbh, recently talked with Anup Jain, a well-known VC. We discussed how VCs decide to invest, especially in places like Bihar VCs help startups grow by giving money and advice. In Bihar, they want to make a difference and help the economy grow. Looking for teams that can solve big problems and are excited about their work. VCs who understand Bihar are important for the state’s startup growth. Bihar is becoming a great place for startups, and at AbhiCares, I’m excited to be part of this change. #BiharStartup #StartupBihar #AbhiCares #StartupMahakumbh

49

2 Comments

Very often, early stage founders talk about "shortly launching our app". During a convo with Vikul Goyal of Bimaplan, we discussed better options to "launching an app" Indian consumer behaviour suggests that unless your app delivers your core business proposition (game, content streaming, ecomm catalogue, etc), or customers open 2+ times EVERY week, the use case for an app is weak. An app isn't just about compiling the .apk file or getting it approved on the play store. The real cost of an app is getting users to download it, install it, update it, and make sure they don't uninstall it. What's the alternative? Unless your customer *needs* to open your app more than twice a week, you should be making a WhatsApp bot as your first customer facing UI. Indians have taken to chat (like most other consumers globally), and taking advantage of consumer behaviour shifts is the path of least resistance and lowest CAC for startups. 1) Buying Metro tickets in India on whatsapp is seamless 2) ICICI support on whatsapp is fast Can you think of at least a few apps that should have instead been a WhatsApp bot? #startups #entrepreneurship #venturecapital

118

23 Comments

🚀 Swiggy Set to Make Waves with ₹11,300 Crore IPO: Key Details and Market Implications 🌐 Swiggy, India's food delivery giant, is set to go public with an IPO launching on November 6, 2024, aiming to raise around ₹11,327 crore (~$1.35B). Shares will be priced at ₹371-₹390 each (around $4.64), with trading expected to start on November 13, 2024. IPO Highlights: Price Range: ₹371-₹390 per share Funds Allocation: Expanding logistics and quick commerce operations This IPO is launching amidst rising tech-driven competition in India’s market. By securing capital, Swiggy plans to advance its quick commerce capabilities, aiming to gain a strategic edge over competitors like Zomato. Market Impact: Swiggy’s IPO offers a unique investment opportunity with strong growth potential, balancing between established dominance in food delivery and quick commerce expansion. Investor Insight: With a grey market premium around ₹25, sentiment is optimistic. As Swiggy steps into the public sphere, it's poised to redefine India's fast-paced delivery ecosystem. #IPO #SwiggyIPO #Investment https://lnkd.in/eyHRRPXh

2

Sow Seeds of Financial Abundance At ODIGITAL Startup Drivers, we know that investing in early-stage, high-growth, technology-driven startups is a proven way of sowing seeds of future financial abundance and wealth. This is an asset class that delivers great returns on investment (ROI) for stakeholders and has consistently outperformed hyperinflation and local currency weaknesses in global markets. We have partnered with Tekedia Capital to give you the opportunity to co-invest a minimum of $250 in their early-stage, technology startup investment deals. We have an ongoing investment round that will close on November 10, with a rigorously selected group of 15 of the world's best investment deals. And you have the opportunity to get your equity in any of these ventures and position yourself for future profitable exits. These ventures operate in varied sectors and markets such as B2B Commerce for African fashion, B2B Export for Africa, AI operating systems for chemical manufacturing, construction, property management, hardware design, insurance infrastructure with carriers license, supply chain management, medical billing as well as AI Infrastructure for non Nvidia Chips and Quantum Chip design, Diversified global investing for Indians, global payments for travellers in China and South East Asia and Stablecoin based remittance. If you want to join us to sow seeds that will deliver a future of financial abundance and wealth for you and your generations, then hurry and connect with us via any of the options below to get started. * Send me a direct message * Email - [email protected] * Click - https://lnkd.in/dHd8K9ZN - to join our WhatsApp group. Share and repost for the benefit of your network. And follow me for more posts like this.

13

2 Comments

PLG by GrowthX®completely changed my perspective on how to approach partnerships. From thinking of cracking partnerships as a set of ad-hoc activities to finding a structured process, I have come a long way. I now have a structured outreach process for every partnership opportunity I want. From figuring out the right partner to finding the right person to take it forward and more importantly, having the right outreach, conversion and, GTM plan, the process has now become a playbook that can be replicated quickly. The outcome? Shortened partnership cycle, improved process efficiency and most importantly, direct impact on revenue (for both, us and the partner). Shout out to folks Bharatsure, Anuj Parekh Sanil Basutkar to have supported in doing this. Also, special mention to GrowthX®, Abhishek Patil Udayan Walvekar for creating this awesome community. If you are looking for a plug-and-play stack to power insurance for your users/customers with a quick turnaround time, reach out to me at [email protected] to understand how we can help you generate additional revenues while providing value add to your clients.

8

It's tough to monetize "community" in India. Top challenges 1. Trust building (It is a chicken and egg problem) 2. Regulatory uncertainties 3. Competition from established platforms Solutions (Easy to difficult) 1. Cater to deep insecurities 2. ⁠Provide novelty 3. ⁠Become admirable Fear, exclusivity, and admiration are universal elements, observed in phenomena ranging from religious congregations to popular content creators and upscale clubs and societies. We have ruthlessly prioritized solution #2 and chose not to go with solution #1 while building Savingz. If you're a problem solver, leader or founder let us know what you think. Shubham Jain Rounak Baral Tusharr Tomar #savingz #startup #founderslife #consumption #community #india

24

The Ecosystem Community is now 3500+ members strong and 1500+ folks are in premium curated groups PS: The only problem is no one can spam here, or join random groups (If anyone follows this they are a part of the community) #Community #Startups #Investors

23

4 Comments

There's a shift happening in the Indian startup ecosystem, and it's impacting late-stage funding. Here's a quick breakdown of the data points: - Late stage funding slump: Investments in Series C rounds and beyond dropped to their lowest level in seven years for the first half of 2024. Deal negotiations seem to be taking longer to close. - Shrinking deal sizes: The average amount invested in late-stage startups has dipped to $47 million so far this year, compared to over $57 million in the same period of 2023. - Focus on profitability: Investors are prioritizing metrics that demonstrate a clear path to profitability, like EBITDA multiples, over headline numbers like revenue or GMV. What does this mean? The easy money days might be over for late-stage startups in India. Investors are taking a more cautious approach, prioritizing companies with strong fundamentals and a clear path to profitability. #venturecapital #startups #funding #India

13

1 Comment

Once PMF is established for a product , next step in revenue growth is category expansion and often founders struggle with their second product . One conversation I had with a founder, the founder confessed that the opportunity arose and they kept on creating products that made sense from supply pov and now their brand is lost because the products are from diverse categories and the consumer doesn't understand what they stand for. When it comes to innovation there is a 70:20:10 rule , 70% of portfolio should be core where consumers imagery of the brand matches the brand's identity , generate opportunities to cross-sell and up-sell to the same consumer 20% should be in the adjacent categories which help get newer customers to the brand and 10% can be moonshots which don't derail the brand , while they appear like a sore thumb in the portfolio they generate revenue. If your portfolio however is full of the moonshots the consumer disassociates with the brand . Often founders make the mistake of believing they own the brand , a founder owns the organization , the brand is co-owned by customers - one must listen to them. #Innovation #CategoryExpansion #Moonshots

15

1 Comment

Being a venture capitalist means being constantly on the move — whether it’s meeting founders in Bangalore, catching up with peers in Mumbai, or exploring new opportunities in Delhi or Varanasi. This week has been one of back-to-back travels, but it’s the kind of busy that feels deeply rewarding at the end. Travel, for me, is more than just logistics and commute; it’s about connecting with leaders shaping businesses for today and tomorrow. From uncovering trends and insights to meeting people whose stories inspire, being on the road keeps me tuned into the pulse of real innovation. Here's looking ahead to more journeys and the adventures they bring forth.

77

5 Comments

Zomato's Q2 results are amazing! and one of the reason for that is it's strategic acquisition, here's what happening... After acquiring Blinkit, zomato acquired Paytm Insider But why is a food delivery company buying a ticketing platform? Zomato is exploring a new domain by acquiring PTM Insider, a leading ticketing platform for movies, concerts, and sports events, for a whopping ₹2,000 crore! Let’s break it down: 1. Zomato’s Vision Zomato aims to become a lifestyle brand and not just a food delivery platform! That's what their new launch 'district' is about. It's a app for everything outdoors Food, Movies, Concerts etc PTM Insider will still operate under PTM, till the next 12 months but then all ticketing services will migrate to District 2. But why did Paytm sell a profitable business? While Zomato is diversifying, Paytm is doubling down on its core business—finance. You might remember Paytm’s recent regulatory troubles, which led to the shutdown of Paytm Payments Bank. This might just be a smart move, allowing PTM to consolidate resources and fortify its position in the fintech space, especially after the recent regulatory hiccups. 3. Zomato’s Growth Strategy: The Bigger Picture Zomato’s Q2 report shows ~5X profits rise since last year But here’s the catch: while Zomato’s food delivery revenue grew by 10%, their acquisition Blinkit surged by a insane 222%! This tells us that Zomato is not just diversifying for the sake of it; they’re strategically positioning themselves in high-growth areas like quick commerce and now, ticketing. To kickstart this Zomato is organizing the “Feeding India Concert” in Mumbai on November 30! Zomato’s dream is ambitious: to become India’s ultimate lifestyle platform. It’s a bold vision that won’t be easy to realize, but if they pull it off, Zomato could redefine how we eat, play, and live. #zomato #acquisition

4

Joining any TV reality show should be only about participating with the bonus of media exposure. It is naive to expect funding and serious investors in Shark Tank. It's almost like finding true love and a life partner in Love Island or enjoying a true-blue motorcycle tour while riding with the weeping and bickering Roadies. Most of the judges, jury or in this case, the Sharks are here for precisely the same reason. To further titillate their unbridled narcissism, so typical of most first-generation business people who made it big beyond their imagination and whose success has hit them on the head. More so, if they are South Asian. Plus, they get paid through the nose for participating. Most are not there to make any investments or help struggling entrepreneurs, though some may make an exception, but their CAs & CSs will ensure that you wish they didn't! So enjoy the moment, the drama and the experience while it lasts. Later you may talk about it to your grandchildren, bore everyone for years at parties and gatherings, retelling your experience or run away with a paper bag on your head, anytime someone recognises you as the Bozo who made a fool of himself or herself on national TV.

2

Finally, the biggest announcement of 2024 – TechBurner and I have been talking about launching our FIRST TECH PRODUCT, and here it is – ⌚An industry-changing smartwatch!⌚ We knew the market was crowded from Day 1. So before we decided to step into this space, we ordered and tested 100s of smartwatches from both Indian and international brands available to customers today. We realized: 1. “They all look and feel the same. Every smartwatch is trying to be Apple.“ 2. Today, smartwatches are considered utility products or tech gadgets. But, we believe that they should be more. They should have a lifestyle statement. (Think how analog watches are more than just watches? They are symbols of style, presence and status.) 3. Current options are NOT cool enough that celebs, athletes, & influencers wear them in aspiration building moments like a wedding or movie launch. 4. Most options in the market just aren’t reliable—they have inconsistent data tracking, outdated technology, and even simple errors in display. And, well, that’s the gap we’ve been working to fill for the last 2 years— Creating a smartwatch that not only fulfills tech & health utility, but also builds your personality, status and power. So here we are—2 guys in their mid-20s, trying to build an industry changing product.🙏 It’s a big risk. But, Shlok and I didn’t come this far to play it safe. We’ve assembled a dream team from four countries, rejected over 30 designs, and rigorously tested countless prototypes—all to bring you what we believe is the best smartwatch you’ll ever own :) We’ll be going live soon. Can’t wait to share it with you all!  Stay tuned, because what’s coming isn’t just different, it’s better :)

390

25 Comments

Ever wondered how some startups make it to a successful exit while others fade away? While many founders dream of IPOs, the majority of successful exits are acquisitions. Exits are not just about cashing out but creating opportunities for growth and learning. Whether it’s an acquisition or an IPO, the key is to navigate with strategic foresight and adaptability. The journey to a successful exit often depends on many critical factors: -> 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴: Many founders find that selling after a few years can yield better results than waiting for a larger exit, as the market dynamics and buyer interest can shift over time. -> 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: It's essential for co-founders to be on the same page regarding exit strategies. -> 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀: Prioritising product-market fit, sales, and customer retention can create a more attractive business for potential buyers, ultimately enhancing exit potential. In 2012, Instagram, with just 13 employees, was acquired by Facebook for a staggering $1 billion. This move wasn't just about the money; it was about strategic alignment. Instagram leveraged Facebook's resources while maintaining its unique identity. This acquisition allowed Instagram to grow exponentially, benefiting from Facebook's vast user base and technological infrastructure. Lesson to take from this is to evaluate potential acquirers not only based on the financial aspect but also on the strategic fit. Aligning with a company that can help your startup expand its reach and resources while preserving its unique identity can lead to long-term success. ___ Enjoy this? Follow Oliver Alan Stafurik for daily startup & VC tips and subscribe to my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/epi4V5uF ✋🏼 #startups #vc #growth

13

7 Comments