Exly (YC W19)’s Post

Companies fail, founders don’t. <excerpt> Wishberg, a wishlist site launched in 2012 by Pravin Jadhav and Kulin Shah, struggled and was acquired by Freecharge in 2014, which Snapdeal bought in 2015. Jadhav was then brought on board at Paytm to start Paytm Money for stock trading, and eventually started his own, called DhanHQ. Shah worked at Acko before founding Onsurity, an employee health benefits platform. India’s internet ecosystem is full of stories of founders starting up, shutting down, being acquired, of being forced out, before they build something that works. Many founders who exit their businesses reinvest in new ventures. Freecharge’s Kunal Shah has funded over 200 startups so far. Venture capitalists also often back founders who have tried something new and failed. India’s startup ecosystem is still innovating and is in the process of maturing. As they say: companies fail, founders don’t. </excerpt> Source link in the comment.

We didn't know exactly what we wanted to build, but we started anyway. Here's how you can find your startup idea: Find a painful problem for people with money. Talk to people who have the problem you're trying to solve. Create a quick MVP—no unnecessary features. Get feedback from those people. If your solution saves someone's time or money, you'll start making money. But you need to have enough resources to run your company for a year or two. Looking back, I'm grateful we have some paying customers and users who are helping us improve our product. #startup #saas #dhoon

I used to think having a brilliant idea was everything in startups, but I’ve learned that good timing can be even more important. Take Airbnb, for example. It didn’t grab investors' attention at first, but it took off during the recession. Why? Because folks were eager to make extra cash, and renting out their homes suddenly seemed like a great way to do that. Then there’s Webvan. It had a solid plan and lots of cash, but it crashed because it was ahead of its time. The tech and systems needed for delivering groceries online just weren’t there yet. And therefore while hard work is irreplaceable when you are starting up, getting out your idea in the market at the Inflection point can be even more important. If not then you should be resilient enough till your startup survives till the market becomes ripe for your idea. PS: Its almost been 2 months since my college ended. I am happy that I started out while I was still in college and more importantly at the time when the market is ripe for disruption in the Digital Public Infrastructure space. #startup

I received an interesting DM this week. A Draftboard user came across a LinkedIn post where a company was offering referral bonuses for multiple roles. He mentioned they would be perfect for us, so I reached out. That company will be onboarded shortly. Don't you love a referral-based platform where your users help you grow the other side of your marketplace 😊 #startups #growth #tech #marketplace #referrals #growing

🚀 Big News from Our Startup! 🚀 After months of intense work, late nights, and countless brainstorming sessions, we're thrilled to announce that our team has reached a monumental milestone. Our MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is finally ready! 🎉 But here’s the twist – we’re not revealing it just yet. 😉 Imagine a tool that will redefine authenticity, making processes smoother, faster, and more efficient than ever before for our clients. A game-changer for businesses and professionals alike. This isn’t just another SaaS product; it’s a revolution. 🔍 Curious? You should be. This is something you won’t want to miss. We’ll be lifting the curtain soon, but until then, keep your eyes peeled and your curiosity piqued. We promise it’ll be worth the wait. A special thanks to all the amazing clients who have already joined our waitlist. Your trust and enthusiasm mean the world to us, and we can’t wait for you to experience what we’ve built. To our incredible team – this wouldn’t have been possible without your relentless dedication and passion. The journey is just beginning, and the best is yet to come. Stay tuned for the official launch. 🚀💥 #Startup #SaaS #MVP #ComingSoon #StayTuned #GameChanger #Waitlist

They were raising $1.7 million at a $20 million cap SAFE. I passed. Here’s why… “PaintBetter” is an app that teaches you how to paint. ***”PaintBetter” is a composite, not a real startup, and the name is made up.*** But it illustrates why even some startups with really cool products don’t get funded. “PaintBetter” had a great app and the founders were very experienced painters themselves. They showed us some of the pictures users had made, and they were really pretty! But as cool as their product was, “PaintBetter” had some real issues… Of their nine full time employees, only two were technical. They were heavily staffed with expert painters, but light on people who could build software. The lack of tech talent led to a lack of product velocity. It took them years to move from web only to a mobile app, despite the popularity of mobile. That lack of product velocity showed in their revenue, which was flatlining. Annual recurring revenue (ARR) had grown just 2% a month over the last year. At this rate, they’d never get to the $100 million they need to become a unicorn. “PaintBetter” had a really cool app and some very talented people behind it. But the slow growth, thin technical team, and lack of a growth strategy were dealbreakers for me. I passed. Would you have invested in "PaintBetter"? #startups #venturecapital  https://lnkd.in/gzskvEPF

🚀 𝐂𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 💘 At Cyrano, we’re reshaping how people connect, making matchmaking more personalized, rewarding, and accessible to everyone. Imagine a platform where YOU can take on the role of the matchmaker – helping others find their perfect match while also searching for your own! Here’s how Cyrano works: 🔹 Client Mode: You are in control. Choose matches based on your preferences and connect with potential partners who align with your values. 🔹 Matchmaker Mode: Put your matchmaking skills to work! Help others find their ideal matches, and earn rewards as your connections succeed. Why Cyrano? ⚡ Two Ways to Participate: Whether you're looking for love or helping others find theirs, Cyrano lets you play both roles. ⚡ Simple and Intuitive: Our user-friendly interface makes matchmaking easy and enjoyable. ⚡ Earn Rewards: With Matchmaker Mode, you’ll be a key player in our community, gaining recognition for your matchmaking prowess. Ready to join the matchmaking revolution? 💬 Let’s connect in ways that matter. #CyranoApp #Matchmaking #TechInnovation #AppDevelopment #Startups #MobileApp #DigitalSolutions #ConnectingPeople #RevolutionizingLove

95% of startups fail. So what sets the successful 5% apart? Often, it's solving a problem you've personally experienced. • Uber was born when Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp couldn't hail a cab on a snowy Paris night. • Airbnb was born when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia couldn't afford rent and inflated air mattresses in their living room. • Stripe was born when Patrick and John Collison got frustrated with online payments while running their first startup. See the pattern? The best founders lived through their problems firsthand. They asked themselves, "Why isn't anyone solving this?" and realized they had a unique insight to offer. That's the spark of a great startup idea. For my co-founder Avinash Joshi and I, it happened when we were expecting our kids. We couldn't find a sustainable way to get healthy, home-cooked meals. That's how Cravd was born. If you're facing a persistent problem, chances are others are too. That's your opportunity to create something truly impactful.

At Mōtum, we've see two distinct startup archetypes that require different building approaches and founder mindsets: The Disruptors (e.g., Uber, Airbnb): • Creating entirely new markets • Low upfront cost • Focus on rapid scaling and network effects The Upgraders (e.g., Notion, Arc Browser): • Built on existing market foundations, enhancing user experiences • Emphasizes iterative improvements and user-centric design • Focus on steady growth and customer retention Usually, when discussing the first goals for startups, the consensus is that you have to launch an MVP as fast as possible. This is true, but with the caveat — MVP will work perfectly with The Disruptor startup, but if your goal is to make the current market better, you need more than just an idea. Take Notion — the first version from 2016 wasn't the powerhouse it is today. But it showed how it would move forward — a sleek, minimalistic app that can store the information for you. And it was not an overnight success — it took 3 years to reach a million users. Comparatively, Uber and Airbnb saw their first million in less than a year. So, to determine a good go-to-market strategy, you must look at your product and be honest with yourself — is this a disruption or upgrade? As founders, we know the struggle, but lying to yourself is not a great go-to-market strategy. But if you are still questioning your decisions — Mōtum is here to help. Contact us and get things moving! https://motum.studio/ #Mōtum #VentureStudio #DigitalVentures #TechStartups #ProductDevelopment #FounderJourney #EntrepreneurLife #StartupGrowth #VentureBuilding #StartupCommunity #Tenni #SportTech

Starting a business is like playing Jenga. One wrong move and it can all come crashing down Says Khadim the co-founder of Whatfix, a startup that could become India’s next unicorn It’s exactly what happened to them with search enabler, Khadim and Vara’s first startup. They had to make a move that could have been their last Search enabler had one small feature called fix-it which allowed small businesses to improve their website and social media visibility So after 3 days of intense discussions the duo decided to pivot to focus on fix-it. It could have been the wrong move that ended their busiess It was a risk but it paid-off. Within a week, the soonicorn Whatfix was born Their journey leading up to the week that changed their lives started well before search enabler Khadim and Vara were colleagues. They spent years working together building the BI product line for Huawei The stint helped them get comfortable with taking risks. They experimented a lot and so when the time came to quit and startup the fear of failure was gone It took a decade of building confidence and trust in themselves and each other for Whatfix to become an overnight success Join us on this week’s episode as I talk to Vara and Khadim, the co-founders of Whatfix. It’s an incredible story of a business that is built to last Amid the decline in SaaS valuations since the peak in 2021, this softbank vision-fund company is in talks with Warbur Pincus to double their earlier valuation due to their astonishing growth in an stagnating Industry https://lnkd.in/ggRumhhg