No Startup Hipsters

by Samir Rath, Teodora Georgieva

The innovation ecosystem around the world is getting clogged up. Looking around us, there are numerous problems like polluted cities, obesity, health care, access to education, water supply and the list goes on. Sadly, much of the technology being built even in leading startup ecosystems around the world is short-sighted and focused on quick profitability rather than solving problems that millions face on a daily basis. This book is a call to return to basics and focus on innovation around actual problems that the normal person faces in his life around the world. We present a systematic approach to building early stage technology companies. We provide a collection of experiential decision frameworks that draw their academic credentials from design thinking, operational research, business strategy and microeconomics. We do not believe in generic advice. We enable entrepreneurs to figure out the strategies and tactics that would work for them in their local context for the specific problem that they are trying to solve. Subsequently, we outline more strategic information on understanding the suitability of the business model to the local innovation ecosystem and ways to scale with finance. We conclude the book with philosophical thoughts on our observations of the role of the entrepreneur in our economic system and the motivations of building a technology startup.