Every week, I receive at least three emails from different Incubators and Accelerators, Indian and foreign regarding contests and programs, most of them paid, each invariably offering the same menu of mentoring, hand-holding and government and industry connections as a service. All have little appeal to us as most mentors I have come across or who were forced upon me, had zero idea or domain knowledge about what we are doing, with personalities ranging from simply inept to domineering know-alls.
The same applies to hand-holding as it can be interpreted in any way one chooses as there is neither assurance of the quality of the help rendered nor accountability. The promise of government and industry connections is an equal farce because most decision-making level Sarkari Babus even after granting a meeting, have little or no incentive to follow through on their commitments.
Industry connections are usually worse, as the best one can hope for is a motivational speech by a CEO or a Chairman at a meeting, but mostly it's an interaction with a low to medium-level cog having neither authority nor any intent to risk his or her career by taking up the cause of a struggling Startup. In the worst case, your product or service idea can be pinched and touted to their bosses as their own work.
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I learned quickly enough that just like most so-called Startups are full of Bullshit and Buzzwords created solely with the agenda of snaring investors money using the greater-fool template, most Incubators and Accelerators also exist for their vested interests. First, it's their salaries, a rigged number game as to how many they take under their wing and lastly, a percentage as service charges in case they are lucky enough to snare an investor for a Startup.
Lately, with the government-promised funds to develop the Startup economy drying up, getting stuck or simply vaporising and with the investors not forthcoming any longer, considering the abysmal track record of Indian Startups, including unicorns, many are starting to devise paid programs, the kind I mentioned earlier. Peddling dreams of Investors and purported knowledge to the desperate and to make the programs seem more exclusive, they often claim to cap the numbers.
As it is, Indian Incubators and Investors have both been playing safe
all along, as evidenced by their preference for supporting only proven
business models with a predictable business trajectory and revenue
stream. Hence, the term Startup has been turned on its head and
essential elements like innovation, the usage of technology to solve a
problem and disruptive elements are forgotten, it is now used to define
any new brick-and-mortar entrepreneurial venture. In the Indian
context, a Jute Bag maker qualifies to be called a Startup, a Pickle
maker is also a Startup, and so is the Tour Operator, offering rustic
nature trails and village home-cooked meals! All that is required is a DIPP number and to sign up for incubation with a government recognised Incubator.
“Oh you are cribbing again, so negative and frustrated” I hear a chorus of self-righteous chiding voices already!
Nope, I am just narrating from experience, and if you want to know what worked for us, it is working without intermediaries. We stumble, fall, pick ourselves up, learn from mistakes, knock on all doors, and sometimes open them ourselves. Nothing works like tenacity and confidence in the work that you are doing, moving one sure step at a time, going as lean as possible, crossing several milestones and attaining a certain critical mass to achieve a modicum of bargaining power.
Lastly, experience has taught me to dismiss right away all the big-mouthed, all-promising new people one meets at the exhibitions with shovel loads of salt, as well as with caution because that is where you meet all the loudmouth and con-men, not to forget the bipolar, psychotic, narcissistic fruitcakes.
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