Startup 101 Series

The growth of an Indian startup requires effective budgeting strategies that can lead to exponential profits. Whether you’re seeking investor funding or focusing on organic growth, budgeting is a vital task that demands careful planning and allocation of available funds. In this video, Ravi Narayan, CEO of T-Hub Hyderabad, shares valuable budgeting tips for startups.

To achieve success, startups need to identify the right strategy for budgeting and revenue generation. This requires careful experimentation and evaluation of various opportunities, followed by the allocation and distribution of funds to the most promising areas. A well-planned budget helps startups maintain financial discipline and adhere to timeline-oriented workflows, which can impress investors and enhance the startup’s credibility.

Ravi Narayan draws on his experience as a mentor to various startups in Microsoft’s accelerator program, as well as his advisory work for state and national governments in Singapore and Malaysia. His insights provide a valuable resource for startups seeking reliable sources of budgeting tips.

First 100 days with investor || Due Diligence

Startup funding is a crucial aspect of every budding entrepreneur’s journey. To successfully raise funds and take their business to the next level, they must have a solid understanding of the Cap table.

The Capitalisation (CAP) table is an organized list of all stakeholders and their respective stakes in the company. It includes the founders, investors, directors, and employees who own shares and voting rights. The Cap table also provides a transparent picture of who owns how much by including share prices.

In addition, the Cap table breaks down the structure of share capital into equity, preferential shares, warrants, convertible debt, and more. An accurate Cap table is essential in fundraising strategies and other financial decisions like IPOs and M&As. It is also the most effective tool for analysis by VCs and tax compliance.

In a Start-up 101 series video, our mentor Sharda Balaji, who is primarily a lawyer and CS, and founder of law firm NovoJuris, walks us through the details of the Cap table and explains how it affects business decisions. With her experience as a legal counsel, founder, angel investor, independent director, and trustee, she provides valuable insights into the significance of Cap table for startup funding.

At Start-up 101, we have got you covered with basics in the form of FAQs answered by Founders and CEOs themselves. We have also unraveled almost everything from investing, hiring to valuation to provide A to Z solutions to these hurdles and boost the confidence of novice entrepreneurs. We believe that everyone who aspires to make a dent in the universe can benefit from our series, as sometimes the only source of knowledge is experience, and there are hundreds of people who have crossed the path you are walking now.

Entrepreneurial education is on the rise in India, and with it comes the need for understanding the definition of start-up culture. While many corporate gurus have their own interpretations, Ravi Narayan, the CEO of start-up incubator T-Hub Hyderabad, defines start-up culture as a mixture of shared vision, work ethic, and values.

For Narayan, it is crucial for founders to help employees understand the start-up culture of their company. This involves empowering, expressing, and energizing team members to strive towards a common goal. Through his experience mentoring start-ups as part of the Microsoft accelerator programme and advising state and national governments in Singapore and Malaysia, Narayan has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in the start-up world.

In India, where start-ups have become a phenomenon, it is important for entrepreneurs to understand the culture they are building within their companies. The culture of a start-up goes beyond team lunches and office perks. It is about creating a shared vision that motivates employees to work towards a common goal. This requires strong leadership and a commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, risk-taking, and collaboration.

The Start-up 101 series, which features experts providing guidance on all start-up bottlenecks, is a valuable resource for aspiring entrepreneurs in India. From defining a start-up to product development, hiring, and investing, the series offers crisp, straight-to-the-point solutions to all possible queries. By understanding the definition of start-up culture and utilizing the success strategies shared in the series, entrepreneurs in India can build successful companies that thrive in a competitive global marketplace.

The distinction between a product manager and a project manager can be nebulous in the world of tech startups. A product manager is responsible for defining the company’s product vision and bringing it to the target customers, while a project manager focuses on executing specific projects and ensuring timely delivery. In the early stages of a startup, it’s not uncommon for individuals to wear multiple hats, including taking on both of these roles.

However, as a company grows, this dual role approach may become less efficient. It’s essential to understand and separate the product manager and project manager responsibilities to ensure the smooth functioning of your expanding startup. So, when is the right time to delineate these roles and establish distinct product and project management teams?

Harsha Kumar, a seasoned product manager with experience at companies like Ola, Zynga, and AdNear, offers valuable insights into this topic. As an MBA graduate from INSEAD, a partner at VC firm Lightspeed India, and a board member for various companies, Kumar has extensive knowledge in the startup domain.

In this Start-up 101 video series, Kumar and other industry experts address the most pressing questions and concerns for startups. The series offers concise and practical solutions, providing a solid foundation for navigating the complexities of launching and scaling a business. By addressing the fundamentals, Start-up 101 aims to empower entrepreneurs to tackle the nuances and challenges of the startup world with confidence.

As a business owner, it’s important to know whether your product meets the needs of the market. This fundamental question requires a thorough understanding of your product’s capabilities and how it can bring value to potential customers. So, how can you determine if there is a gap in the market for your product?

In a video, Prasanna Krishnamoorthy, Partner at Value Saas Catalyst firm Upekkha and experienced entrepreneur, offers some tips and tools for finding the right market for your product. He emphasizes the importance of solving a problem rather than just building a business, and shares insights on how to do effective research.

Krishnamoorthy suggests looking beyond traditional sources such as surveys and focus groups, and instead exploring platforms like Yahoo Answers and Upwork. These sites allow you to see the questions people are repeatedly asking and the types of solutions they are seeking. Additionally, he encourages entrepreneurs to think about their target customers’ behaviors and preferences, and to consider where they are looking for solutions.

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to determining if the market needs your product. It requires a combination of research, analysis, and understanding of your product and target customers. However, by utilizing a variety of tools and strategies, you can increase your chances of finding the right market and achieving success.

Considering launching a product? Focus on a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) – a core version with essential features to gauge customer interest and eliminate unnecessary elements. MVPs are crucial for obtaining customer feedback, improving products, and reducing waste.

Prasanna Krishnamoorthy, founder of Upekkha and former Microsoft Accelerator member, discusses MVPs and his concept of Minimum Billable Product in a video from the Start-up 101 series. This series provides concise, straightforward solutions to start-up questions, helping entrepreneurs build strong foundations before navigating the complexities of start-up life.

Product Management Book || Product Demo || Market for your product