Happy to be in Alpha ! Things are working from end to end ! Of course, there are still plenty of issues like magic accounts that only the developers know how to use, mis-aligned UI and other big and small stuff that we need to address… but we have enough confidence that we can show it to some stakeholders. The experience is smooth and seems to convey some of the brand personality that I’ve been so finicky about.
We are getting ready for FICCI Frames, which despite the steep price tag, seems to have become one of the must-attend events for the entertainment world in India. It will be interesting to see the Slumdog Millionaire effect.
And finally, a great discussion on the Indian entreprenurship ecosystem on Sramana Mitra’s blog. http://www.sramanamitra.com/2009/02/03/entrepreneurship-in-india-2/
I agree with Sramana. The entrepreneur scene as witnessed by yours truly is tepid. Why ? I would say that this comes down to cultural, infrastructural and financial factors.
Into the cultural factors, I would slot that issues that plague anyone that wants to complete a project in India. Lack of accountability and precision are two of the factors that I hear stated the most often. Entrepreneurs have to overcome these ingrained behaviors not only in themselves but in the people they employ, which can be a frustrating, deeply demanding process.
The next is infrastructural. In this category, I would put physical infrastructure as well as the legal backing to protect small players. In terms of physical infrastructure, traffic snarls, powers outages and the like add to the cost of doing business. And on the legal side, although the requirements from the entrepreneur are immense, there is no protection for the small player in return. I recently heard from a friend who’d invoiced a large Indian corporate. She had to call several times, literally pestering the company to make their payments. They finally got their check seven months later ! Some would say she was lucky to have received her check at all.
The third is financial. Unless you have a nest egg or are living off your parents, the cost of failure is high, especially in these tough times. Most Indians would rather pull back than risk and lose their all as entrepreneurs. These in turn to very very few people ready to take on this monstrous system, and fewer still who will succeed.
djoshir
Jaikar Mohan
jpattabi
shrutirao
India, Cinema and the Internet. 
roadrunner
March 27, 2009
The entrepreneurial scene is tepid because the rewards are better going with a corporate. You present an invoice, and while it takes 7 months, you get paid at the end of the day. The start-ups expect you to bring your experience to the table for free, and the self-styled “penniless start-up” tag is one of the most abused, in my mind.
You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
jpattabi
March 27, 2009
Then I’ve known some very rich monkeys. But most entrepreneurs will tell you that rewards are not purely financial. I noticed that you seem to be approaching the question from the employee’s point of view – obviously you should stay away from the folks who you think are taking advantage of you, whether at corporates or at startups. You should always feel like you’re getting something for your time, whether it’s money, respect, or bragging rights.