Monday, 11 June 2012

Re: [pakgrid] My article for Washington Post on tech startups

 

Hello,
          The problem is not as Developing World versus Developed World. Nor the issue of not having a rise of the billion dollars company is not Pakistan/Developing World specific. Even in the first World, there were many "attempts" to create silicon valleys other than in the Bay Area and so far no one has been able to build one close to it. (By Silicon Valley I mean creation of Billion dollar Corporations with high concentration.) By the attempt I mean likes of Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and other top industrialized worlds and no expenses were spared. There are numerous studies on the subject.  In the US Research Triangle in North Carolina was also a similar attempt and at best it is very weak and feeble version of it. 
Lessons learned from these experiences were clearly that you have to find solution that is Country Centric/Specific. If you want to create successful enterprise in developing world; start from a change Bottom - Up that is conducive for small business out of which large corporations will emerge. With Faculty in Pakistan under the control of Administration i.e. no freedom to seek outside opportunities/start-up unless the University has lion share or are out right disallowed there is a little chance anything will emerge from Universities ..... unless this practice changes not to say that one will see flurry of start-ups. 
As once a VC mentioned to me that 99.9% of his investment fizzles out. it is only the 0.1% that makes it worth.
In Pakistan no one wants to take the risks ..... 
Regards 
Asif
From: Yusuf Jan (Mixit) <yjan@mixitusa.com>
To: Yusuf Jan (Mixit) <yjan@mixitusa.com>; "pakgrid@yahoogroups.com" <pakgrid@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: Umar Saif <umar@lums.edu.pk>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 8:27 PM
Subject: RE: [pakgrid] My article for Washington Post on tech startups

 
All:
 
My comment on Umar's article - posted on the Washington Post.
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-innovations/a-tale-of-two-tech-startup-cities/2012/06/05/gJQAz6w6FV_allComments.html?ctab=all_&
 
Regards
 
Yusuf Jan
 
From: pakgrid@yahoogroups.com [mailto:pakgrid@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Amir Wain
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 10:11 AM
To: pakgrid@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Umar Saif
Subject: Re: [pakgrid] My article for Washington Post on tech startups
 
 
Umar you write well and I agree with some of your comments. I however have a slightly different view.
In my opinion what most entrepreneurs lack is the business acumen. Developing a good product and building a profitable business are two different animals. Filling this gap is the biggest role VCs play in many cases. They bring in management teams and provide governance at the board level to keep things on track.
The funding requirements have changed tremendously too. With itunes and android stores the sales and marketing infrastructure is available at no cost. With Amazon cloud and other pay as you go services, processing infrastructure can be available at no to minimal upfront investment.
~best
Amir
 
On 6/9/2012 12:19 AM, Umar Saif wrote:
 
Dear all -

My recent article for Washington Post on why we don't see any product startups in the developing world. This may strike a chord with several of you:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-innovations/a-tale-of-two-tech-startup-cities/2012/06/05/gJQAz6w6FV_story.html

Regards,
--
Umar Saif | http://people.csail.mit.edu/umar


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