Ashish Kumar Bahuguna’s Post

I would have become a billionaire by now, My first startup might have traded in Nasdaq, But what happened? Facebook launched out of a Harvard University dorm to connect its grads to share their photos, stories, and also to network with fellow sophomores. Quickly, they expanded to all the IVY League schools, including my neighbor, Columbia University. Until then, it was like a college kids' fun game with no real vision. But things changed. Facebook's real purpose, its goal, its scale, its team, and its funds were all set when Peter Thiel came into the venture game. Later, Facebook went on to be listed on Nasdaq with a $47 billion IPO. What's the connection to me? Like the initial version of Facebook, I connected people who are in the process of studying at some of the top universities in the world, like London Business School. I created a digital university akin to Harvard University where you can experience the same inspiration, resources, and the best minds to conquer those arduous RCs and convoluted TCs. Quickly, it also assisted people with IELTS, MS/PhD applications, prepping for visa interviews, finding roommates, and much more. However, I didn't know the real impact of what I built until I moved to Manhattan, where I met folks from Harvard Business School who are building future versions of those listed on Nasdaq. They explained about Facebook, Peter Thiel, venture capital, private equity, investment banking, and much more. Unfortunately, I hail from third-world India, which provides tons of info on Hindu-Muslim but never taught us about venture capital, private equity, or even about Peter Thiel Having said that, I believe that the almighty sent me exclusively to Manhattan so that I could build another disruption that wouldn't have been possible if I had stuck in that third world. We are building that future disruption, and I request all investors to be part of that innovation to accelerate our journey & to make the world even a better place. Thank you! #manhattan #newyorkcity #venturecapital #investors #nasdaq #startup #business

This secret early-stage investor in Facebook was embarrassed to talk about his investment. This is the story of Venky Harinarayan 👇 - Venky, a serial entrepreneur, was approached by Sean Parker and Mark Zuckerberg back in 2004 when Facebook was planning to raise its first round of venture financing. - Venky met Mark at his new office when Facebook had less than 10 employees. Venky advised Mark on raising funds from venture capital firms versus media companies, as Facebook was considering raising funds from The Washington Post. - After talking to Mark for a while, Venky realized that Mark was incredibly smart, and he made up his mind to invest in Facebook if he got the chance. - Fast forward to 2005, when Venky learned that Accel was investing in Facebook, he approached Sean and asked him to let him invest in Facebook alongside Accel. - Sean warned Venky that the valuation would be absurdly high, and Venky would receive only a very small stake. - Venky finally decided to invest in Facebook alongside Accel. Accel invested around $12.7 million in Facebook at a valuation of $100 million. - This valuation was criticized by many industry professionals in the Valley, including Facebook's first investor, Peter Thiel. - A few days after this investment, Venky was talking to a VC who was unaware that Venky had also invested in Facebook. The VC said, 'Accel paid crazy money' and was not very happy with the valuation. - Venky felt very embarrassed and did not tell anyone that he was also an investor in Facebook. - This embarrassment soon faded away as Facebook started gaining traction and became one of the biggest tech companies in the world. - Although it was a small stake, the investment in Facebook was one of the best bets Venky ever made. Follow Vrishank R. for more such insider stories revolving around the startup and venture capital ecosystem 😄 #startup #facebook #venturecapital #mark

In Europe, investors often inquire about the profitability of startups, reflecting a mindset reminiscent of traditional business models. However, the landscape of tech startups operates differently. Instead of prioritizing immediate profits, we reinvest all earnings to boost our valuation. Returns on investment materialize through acquisitions, IPOs, or private-equity secondary markets. Typically, American tech giants serve as acquirers, driven not by immediate profits but by the pursuit of the next industry-defining innovation to maintain market dominance. Consider some notable examples illustrating the workings of the tech startup world: 1️⃣ Facebook's acquisition of Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 stands out. Despite Instagram's lack of revenue after just two years since its inception, its user base of 30 million and status as the most downloaded iPhone application marked it as the next big thing in social media. 2️⃣ WhatsApp's $22 billion acquisition by Facebook is another compelling case. At the time of acquisition, WhatsApp generated a mere $10.2 million in annual revenue with a net loss of $138 million. At SimpleStudying, we adhere to the Silicon Valley playbook, focusing on rapid growth and reinvestment of all revenues to expedite valuation growth. Our aim is to emerge as the next disruptive force in higher education EdTech and AI. If you're an angel investor interested in learning more, feel free to DM me. #angelinvestors #startups #edtech #funding #investment #acquisitions

Some guy once established a mantra at his newly founded company that said "Move fast and break things." But today, more than a decade after Facebook has moved away from this motto, it's worth questioning whether this mentality does startups more harm than good. In spite of the fact that facebook changed their motto from "Move fast and break things." to "Move fast with a stable environment." in 2014, we still see entrepreneurs embracing the fail fast, fail often philosophy as if it were the gospel of innovation. The concept, rooted in Silicon Valley's ethos, suggests that rapid failure paves the quickest path to success. One can argue, however, that this mindset is promoting a culture of reckless experimentation with too much focus on short-term thinking. Are we sacrificing sustainable growth and long-term vision on the altar of immediate results? Perhaps it's time we reevaluate this approach, especially in 2024 when we're coming out of one of the toughest years in recent memory when it comes to venture funding. While agility and adaptability are undoubtedly valuable, this new era of 🐫 > 🦄 requires a balance where calculated risks are encouraged, but not at the expense of foresight, responsibility, and sustainability. Your thoughts? #StartupCulture #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #EntrepreneurMindset

📍 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗭𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴 𝗸𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆? Let's dive into the origins of Facebook, his first major startup. 🚀 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟰, 𝗮𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼-𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸, a social networking platform that revolutionized the way people connect and share information online. This innovative platform enabled users to create profiles, post updates, and interact with friends and family, transforming the digital landscape and setting new standards for online communication. 🌐 Mark led Facebook as CEO, growing it from a college project into a global phenomenon. 𝗜𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟮, 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰, 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 $𝟭𝟲 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. 📣 Building on this success, Mark continued to expand Facebook's ecosystem by acquiring companies like Instagram and WhatsApp, driving the platform's evolution into a multi-faceted technology conglomerate that has had a profound impact on social media, advertising, and digital communication on a global scale. 🔑Key insights from Mark Zuckerberg's early entrepreneurial efforts emphasize the power of: 📢𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Embracing new trends and technologies and revolutionizing traditional markets. 🚀𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱: Rapidly transforming innovative concepts into tangible, impactful solutions that redefine user experiences. 🔦𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Leveraging acquisitions to enhance and expand the platform's capabilities, driving continued evolution and relevance. Tractionboard.co (Techstars 23') Arohi Jain ⚔️ 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀?🔦 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)

A useful framework and real examples of how big startups tackled risks from day one to IPO. What’s one lesson you’ve learned from scaling a business?

The key to success lies in balancing exploration with exploitation. Startups begin with exploration—looking for new opportunities, testing ideas, and innovating. Over time, big companies can become too focused on exploitation—maximizing the value of existing products or services—at the cost of exploration and reinvention. In today's rapidly changing business landscape, adaptation is critical. Innovation must remain a priority, or even the most successful companies risk becoming irrelevant. #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #StartupsVsCorporations #ExplorationVsExploitation #CorporateInnovation #Disruption #BusinessGrowth #AdaptOrDie #Leadership #FutureOfBusiness #SeerabTechnologies #SeerabMaps #SeerabUmrahHajjMaps

🚀 "A ragtag group of children"—that’s how Zuckerberg once described Facebook's early team. So why did this scrappy startup win while giants like Google couldn’t? It’s all about focus and conviction. Big companies often miss out on innovation because they get bogged down in internal resistance. They have the resources and talent but lack the agile mindset and commitment to risky new ideas. When social networking first emerged, it was dismissed by many as a “college fad” or “impossible to monetize”—and by the time they saw its potential, the chance had passed. Startups, on the other hand, are all-in from day one. They bet everything on a single vision, adapting fast, iterating, and learning. 💡 Founders, what’s your biggest challenge in staying nimble as you scale? Follow Abahope for insights on startup success and innovation. #Innovation #StartupMindset #FocusAndConviction #BigTech #Startups #Facebook

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 Mark Zuckerberg once asked why Google didn’t beat Facebook in social networking. The answer? 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Facebook wasn’t the first to the game—Friendster and Myspace were already there. And Google had the talent, the resources, the infrastructure. But big companies often get stuck doubting new ideas. Social networking was first dismissed as a “college fad.” Then, it was “impossible to monetize.” And when it finally proved its potential, the incumbents had lost their chance. There were probably teams inside these companies who saw the future, but a VP-level person deprioritized it, “pouring sand in the gears.” That’s how big companies stumble. Startups, by contrast, are built to bet everything on a single vision, moving fast, iterating, and learning. That’s why they win where giants fail. Join 100,000+ founders and VCs who receive these insights in my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dtifw4mC

I completely agree with your assessment, Rubén. The inability of big companies to innovate and adapt to new ideas is a major obstacle to their success. The example of Facebook and Google is a perfect illustration of this. Rubén D. As you mentioned, big companies often get stuck in their ways and are hesitant to take risks on new ideas. This is often due to the fear of failure, the comfort of familiarity, and the difficulty of changing established processes. On the other hand, startups are agile, nimble, and willing to take risks. They are not constrained by the same bureaucratic red tape and are able to move quickly to capitalize on new opportunities. However, I would argue that big companies can learn from startups and adopt some of their strategies to drive innovation. For example, they can create internal incubators or accelerators to foster new ideas, provide resources and support to intrapreneurs, and encourage a culture of experimentation and learning. Ultimately, it's not about being big or small, but about being adaptable, innovative, and willing to take calculated risks.