NASSCOM EMERGE Community Catalyst for Growth of Emerging & Start-Up companies

Avinash, great idea. Can you work in a component that focuses on PRODUCT companies, possibly even on-demand businesses? I run one and the issues here are quite different from my last gig (a basic Services company).

Another point of conversation may be India-focused businesses. Again, something I don't see too much discussion about in the regular forums (or maybe I am looking in the wrong places?).

Dear Mr. Mandyam,

Appreciate your inputs and will definitely have some focus around the Product side. Infact the suggestions made have also been suggested by some of our members and we would definitely incorporate your feedback. I also would like to update you on the forthcoming NASSCOM Product Conclave happening in Bangalore on 11th & 12th August which would be addressing Product issues in greater detail. The conclave would be focussing on the following themes:

• Key Emerging Opportunities for the Indian Software Industry - Domestic & Global
• Cloud computing, SaaS
• Product Software Talent Proposition
• The Art of Software Business - Shift from Product development to Product Management
• "Ready Reckoners" for the Product Business

There is also an opportunity for companies to showcase their products. My colleague Kritika at Kritika@nasscom.in would be more than happy to discuss this further. More details of the Conclave are available at http://www.nasscom.in/Nasscom/Templates/CustomEvents.aspx?id=54184

Best Wishes,

Avinash

Avinash, I come from a segment Kishore mentioned about - Product company with on-demand as delivery model and India-focused.  Unfortunately, there're not enough forums where either of these are discussed.  Therefore, having a dscussion on products focused for the Indian market would be a good idea.  I'll look forward such a session.

In the meantime, I must thank you for taking the initiative.

Dear Mr. Bharat, Thank you for your inputs. We have made a note of this and we would definitely be having a session around the On demand model - India focused.

I look forward to meeting you at the Gurgaon CEO Forum meeting.

Best, Avinash

Hi Avinash,

Firstly, congratulations on a great new initiative. I am sure this is the space you wanted to build as a permanent calendar event for Delhi.

I have some comments - please see if they are useful:

1.   The definition of emerging companies has to be crisp. It would be unfair to treat a six month startup with a six year veteran for example. The reason this is vital is that young emerging companies have different needs to more mature companies that are witnessing an acceleration to their business and therefore emerging as new forces

2. Sometimes focus groups lean heavily on HR practices. Nearly all the HR discussions veer around to large companies. For a less than year old company the challenge is hiring to build the right team - getting the talent with the right attitude, skills and cost. For a more mature company it may be more towards retaining and high impact HR strategies.

3. It will be great to also have some folks with strong contratian views - First Break All The Rules - type keynote. The traditional topics have been bandied about by all many time, maybe time to spice up by taking strong contrarian positions - I have seen enough case studies of stumbling to success rather than focus or planning!! Plus its great to have a leader who has some "color" in their character!

4. I would suggest a workshop on financial planning, equity planning, exec compensation, ESOP, non-cash incentives etc. This will be more tactical and practical as learning for new enterpreneurs.

Good luck,

This is a reply attempt to above post by Rajendra Raja

Just wanted to give some inputs on which I have been researching and writing on this nasscom space as well as in nasscom blog--

Point 1- definition of business of the emerging co-- It is most basic requirement for CMMI QA model of practice adopted by large IT cos. It is equally essential for SMEs too. But for a 6 month old start up-( say) as you have mentioned as an example -- basic 1-2 page statement of intent, focus, targetted market segment, geography planned, min order value etc should be made. Then it requires tuning every 6 months...as small start up usually start up with goal A, but find themselves cash generating in goal B, then get into a dilemma what exact is the Goal. That leeway is permitted.

Point 2- For SMEs till they grow up to headcount of about 300 people, every recruitment must be made by CEO-top management only, with HR/recruitment role limited to shortlisting, coordination etc only -- that is expert view who have studied Indian SMEs very deeply.

Business pains of SMEs( pl refer subject discussion thread elsewhere in same space) are totally different from larger players, who can afford wider management bandwidth, hire highly paid thought leaders, and afford time ......Smalller players have only 20-20 matches to play....prove fast or vapourise yourself...

more when we connect further with yr views and that from others

V B Rajendra Raja

Hi Arvind, Thanks for the detailed inputs. We would be very keen to incorporate your suggestions in the program and ensure that delegates benefit from these sessions/workshops. Any suggestions as to who could facilitate these workshops for us...would be great.

Regards, Avinash

Anybody from the VC community would be a good choice - they have to sort out the initial financial planning when they come on board anyway. So better to educate the promoters what works and what does not..

Arvind, I am so glad someone very tactfully listed the things we should NOT be talking about! Enough ink and electrons have been spent on HR and "the company that cares" - I only care about my company, because I believe that being successful will make everyone in the company successful anyway!

Avinash, another thing you may want to think about: the people you DON'T want to invite on stage in such conversations. VCs are good options, as Arvind says. As also entrepreneurs themselves - your presentation from Deep Kalra is a great example.

Dear Aravind

I beleive this will be a good initiative. The main concern for an emerging company (at least ours) is to grow (out of being an emerging company)! Any inputs on marketing and sales (especially practical ones like what it takes to set up overseas offices) will be great. We focus heavily on manufacturing and engineering and hence that will be of interest. We will be happy to help out in some way.

Regards

Senthil Kumar

Avinash:

This is a great initiative. Here are some things I would like to suggest

1. Have a User Panel: Invite senior people from industy (Banking, Telecom, Retail, Govt etc.) to share their experiences of working with Emerging companies and what they see AS EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR SPAN OF WORK.  

2. International Panel - Invite people from countries where NASSCOM has taken an emerging company delegation (Australia, Thailand, UK etc). or fast developing geographies (Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa). They could share inputs on opportunities in their country for Indian emerging companies

3. Session on Regulatory incentives: Have people from government /agencies such as DST, ESC, SIDBI who have grants /incentives for IP protection, marketing, funding etc.

4. Focussed workshops - Have specific parrallel tracks on Financial planning, HR, Marketing

Hope this helps.

Ankur

Thank you Ankur. Appreciate your help and inputs.

Regards,

Avinash

Great initiative, Avinash!

A suggestion: One area that would be very valuable to include would be IP protection strategies, especially focused on low cost tools/techniques. This is especially true for product companies, where the whole value is in the IP, but most emerging companies don't end up doing enough to protect it.

You could get a speaker from one of the law firms that focus on IP - they should be happy to get a positioning platform!

Regards,

Anupam

Anupam ,Thank you. We are making progress and IP is also one of topics that we would like to get some discussions.

Regards,

Avinash

Few more suggestions:

My apologies for this late response. I have been thinking about possible topics for this Emerge Conclave coming up in Delhi. I am listing below three potential topics that I believe would be of value to the audience:

1. Evolving a strategy - what you should do and what you should NOT do.
2. How to design high impact low cost marketing initiatives.
3. Selling a value proposition to an investor.

My colleagues are copied and if we need to develop the thoughts further to take this forward the team here will be happy to engage.

Thank you,

Regards,

G. Shankaran Nair
President - Corporate Strategy
________________________________________
Servion Global Solutions

Great Initiative Avinash,

I feel we could have a feature in the conclave wherein, startups which are looking for seed funding would specifically get a platform to present their B-plans and connect to investors.

Also there should be no cap on what "industry" the startups are from. The startups have to register by July end lets say, and we could hold screening sessions during august first week, it would be hectic for you and the team but I am sure response would be great!

Moreover I support the potential topics that have been listed in the post above:)

The conclave should prove to be an open platform to connect which is the objective!

Regards,

Paritosh Sharma

We'd like to thank everyone for providing the inputs for the conclave. Based on the inputs received please find the proposed program for the NASSCOM EMERGE Out Conclave..The conference, slated for 29th September, 2008 in New Delhi, is expected to become an annual feature in NASSCOM's agenda for emerging companies. It will provide a national platform for small and medium enterprises, where they can deliberate on technology and business trends, and gain insights on the new opportunities opening out before them.

A culmination of the numerous activities that we have been organizing in the "Emerging" space, the event will witness brainstorming, mentoring and experience sharing among companies, which will result in creating a strategic vision for Emerging Organizations. While at the one end, successful SMEs will talk about what they did right to rank among the high performers, at the other end, leading entrepreneurs will provide tips and tricks to help the emerge bunch make a mark within their chosen niches. The talks would be delivered by thought leaders from the Indian IT Industry and would suggest ways by which Emerging Companies can break the rules, set themselves apart and emerge out of their cocoons.

Proposed Program

Opening Session:

Keynote - Break All The Rules
Hear from Leaders on their success mantras...

Session 2:
Evolving a Strategy for Startups & Emerging Companies
(The do's and don'ts)

Confessions of Entrepreneurs.
What would I do if had to start again. Some of the personal traits of a successful entrepreneur.

Lunch Break

Parallel tracks - Mentoring will also be available post lunch
Session 4

Been there, done that: What do Successful CIO's think about Startups/Emerging Companies

Workshops

1. Defining your Value Proposition for investors, customers and employees
2. Financial Planning: before and after your funding
   The workshop will touch upon the topics details on managing funds, etc.

Session 5

Building & Sustaining the Right Team -
The panel will explore people related issues in driving the success of the startup/emerging company.

Valedictory session - The reasons that prevents an EMERGE-ing company making it BIG.

Look forward for your support.

Best Regards,

Avinash

Avinash and all,

This is a great initiative and I am sure it will be a great opportunity for the young entrepreneurs to learn from experts and from each other

I look forward to meeting the participants on 29th evening

Ganesh

Great Avinash!

What about Sales & Marketing? Isn't it one of the key challenges faced by Startups/Emerging companies?

Cheers,
Pradeep

Pradeep,

Very valid input. We would be covering this in the Session 2 - Evolving a Strategy for Startups & Emerging Companies and in the workshop - Defining your Value Proposition for investors, customers and employees.

Regards

Avinash

Hello Avinash:

Happy to note the brief of the new forum. I think the subject is very relevant for emerging companies.

I head Avasant in Asia. Avasant is a leading IT & BPO advisory services firm based in Los Angeles. So far we have been engaging only with "buy" side clients who are based in US & UK and want to offshore their work to India or other countries in Asia.

Recently, we have introduced a service for "sell side" clients, revolving around development of a "go to market strategy". The idea is to help small size service provider adopt the right marketing approach to win business.  

I would be happy to contribute actively to the forum.

Best Regards

Dr.P.K.Mukherji,President, Avasant  (www.avasant.com )