This text is in collaboration with Prime Video

Prime Video’s Mission Begin Ab is a aggressive actuality sequence that evaluates 10 early-stage founders and entrepreneurs underneath the mentorship of three distinguished buyers — Kunal Bahl (co-founder Snapdeal and Titan Capital), Anisha Singh (founder She Capital, founder and ex-CEO MyDala), and Manish Chowdhary (co-founder WOW Pores and skin Science). Beginning 19 December, the present goals to find who has the potential to change into India’s subsequent unicorn.

Through the course of this competitors, the competing founders additionally face challenges that includes outstanding faces from the enterprise and leisure world — similar to Ritesh Agarwal (OYO), Rohit Shetty (Filmmaker), Riyaaz Amlani (Impresario Leisure Hospitality), Zeenah Vilcassim (Zomato Stay Leisure), Nilesh Kothari (Trifecta Capital) and Saikiran Krishnamurthy (xto10x Applied sciences).

Sushant Sreeram, Nation Director, Prime Video India, says Mission Begin Ab stemmed from observing the evolution of entrepreneurship within the nation. “Whereas there’s a variety of dialog round monetary milestones in leisure, we wished to create a present that not solely highlights these milestones but additionally showcases the inspiring journeys of entrepreneurs.”

With difficult duties and mentorship, the present goals to information and help aspiring innovators nationwide. We determined to choose the brains of Kunal Bahl, a seasoned entrepreneur and investor on the present.

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey and the way the startup panorama has advanced in India, Kunal tells The Higher India, “The panorama for entrepreneurship has drastically modified within the final 16 years. Again then, startups weren’t actually a factor — it was both working a enterprise or having a job. However round 2015, the Startup India motion was kickstarted, placing startups on the map. Now, they’re in every single place, altering how we dwell, from digital funds to house providers and buying.”

Navigating the highs, lows, and realities of startup success

Proper from the second you get up-to-the-minute you sleep, one can see how startups have made life extra environment friendly and handy. They’ve amped up productiveness and, importantly, instilled a way of delight by displaying that Indian startups can serve the world.

“It’s not simply large cities like Delhi or Bangalore anymore; startups are popping up within the tiniest cities, proving that keenness and data haven’t any geographical boundaries,” says Kunal including that his purpose with the Mission Begin Ab journey is to democratise this entrepreneurial data.

“The instruments for beginning a enterprise can be found to everybody, so why restrict the know-how?” he asks. “I need to showcase the true founder’s journey — the highs, lows, victories, insecurities, and the truth that success isn’t a straight path. It’s meant to encourage these on the fence about beginning one thing of their very own.”

For grassroots entrepreneurs, it’s about making a roadmap, sharing the ups and downs, and demonstrating that success doesn’t at all times observe a linear path. “And that’s okay,” Kunal provides. He emphasises that within the first couple of years, new companies face severe useful resource limitations. Meaning they usually have to choose and select what to give attention to.

However there are a number of essential issues they actually shouldn’t overlook early on.

Firstly, he says, dashing into an thought with out strong analysis isn’t clever. “Spending a little bit of time, perhaps round 5 p.c of the entire time you intend to take a position to completely perceive and analyse the concept, is essential. It would nonetheless not work out as a result of varied components, however having that sturdy conviction via goal analysis is vital.”

Secondly, staying targeted is tremendous necessary, he provides. “Some founders strive juggling a number of initiatives, hoping one will take off. However spreading your self skinny like that always means you possibly can’t give any single thought the eye it deserves. Focus and self-discipline are essential within the early levels.”

Lastly, constructing a small however extremely aligned crew that resonates along with your values, tradition, and imaginative and prescient is significant, he emphasises. “You may’t do all the things alone as a founder and even with a small crew of two. Having a cohesive crew that’s aligned along with your researched thought and giving it intense focus is what in the end results in an enduring and profitable enterprise.”

Kunal opines that in relation to serving to grassroots entrepreneurs, it’s essential to assume past simply offering capital. Mentorship and knowledge-sharing are key assets that may make a big distinction in addressing their challenges.

Having supported over 250 startups up to now 12 years, he shares that he has observed comparable patterns of errors throughout completely different sectors within the startup world.

“By offering mentorship and sharing tribal data, we will enhance the chance of success for upcoming entrepreneurs. This implies extra startups succeeding quicker, requiring much less funding and permitting founders to retain extra possession of their companies,” he says.

What can India do to assist grassroots innovators change into its subsequent unicorns

Streaming providers like Prime Video, with their huge attain, can play a task on this through the use of digital media to entertain whereas additionally imparting priceless data, Kunal opines. This may encourage and encourage aspiring founders, even these in distant areas, displaying them that they don’t want to return from prestigious backgrounds or attend particular meetups to construct profitable companies.

Speaking concerning the contestants in Mission Begin Ab, he shares that the startup groups are sensible and well-vetted. Nevertheless, when confronted with powerful challenges, their weaknesses usually floor. But, these challenges function invaluable studying experiences, reflecting real-life conditions.

“I’ve encountered comparable challenges myself as a founder, like getting caught in site visitors and being late for conferences or coping with surprising tech glitches throughout shows. It’s these sorts of crises that founders expertise — together with private hurdles like being introverted and scuffling with shows. However over time, I realised I needed to overcome these shortcomings for the sake of my firm, crew, and buyers. I turned my weaknesses into strengths by pushing myself to enhance,” he says.

Kunal additionally calls on founders to shift their focus away from obsessing over Unicorns. In immediately’s context, being a unicorn, he says, usually signifies excessive valuation. “As an alternative, what our nation actually wants are ‘Indicorns’ — startups designed for India, the place success isn’t solely measured by valuation however by the affect they make inside our nation,” he remarks.

The important thing ought to be the affect these startups create throughout the nation, not simply their valuation. Valuation ought to merely be a results of their revenues and income, not the final word purpose. By releasing founders from the strain of attaining particular valuations inside sure timeframes, we will encourage them to construct companies patiently and in a manner that ensures their longevity and enduring success, he reveals.

He provides that this chance is particularly thrilling for energetic, visionary aspiring founders. “Throughout all sectors, I’m actually optimistic about what lies forward. Classes have been discovered by each buyers and founders via varied cycles, resulting in a way of maturity, composure, and self-discipline within the ecosystem. This implies we’re now constructing companies extra patiently, with much less capital, aiming to create corporations that may final for many years and even generations.”

Catalysts of Change: Mission Begin Ab and the Entrepreneurial Mindset

As Prime Video, Sushant says their focus has at all times been on providing a various vary of leisure. During the last seven years, particularly this yr, he says they’ve expanded their slate with an unprecedented variety of round 25 originals, showcasing a outstanding range in content material.

“This philosophy extends to our unscripted programming too. This yr, we’ve had a busy run with documentaries and exhibits that delve into completely different realms, together with the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” he informs.

For the present’s success, we aimed to carry on board buyers who not solely have a sturdy monetary background however are additionally enthusiastic about nurturing the ecosystem, he provides. Mission Begin Ab focuses on simulations that deal with pitching merchandise, convincing sceptics about enterprise fashions, constructing proficient groups, and extra. It’s not nearly monetary enter but additionally about mentorship, says Sushant.

He additional emphasises that collaborating with the Principal Scientific Advisor’s workplace was pivotal for Mission Begin Ab. Initially, they aimed to create one thing recent, celebrating the entrepreneurial journey in our nation. So this collaboration guided the crew via varied iterations of the present’s format, exploring what points to give attention to — be it fundraising or a day-in-the-life format — to greatest showcase entrepreneurship, informs Sushant.

“Their help was essential in figuring out grassroots entrepreneurs for the present. These aren’t simply innovators engaged on minor enhancements; they’re creating foundational options with broad-reaching affect. We scouted round 1,500 to 2,000 ventures and immediately engaged with practically 200 earlier than finalising the choice of 10 various ventures for the present,” he says.

Sushant informs that their purpose was twofold — supply nice leisure, but additionally set off one thing deeper throughout the viewers.

“Like every impactful leisure, we goal for the present to encourage, provoke ideas, and instigate motion. Our measure of success for Mission Begin Ab is just not solely delivering entertaining content material but additionally inspiring the creators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. If we obtain that, we’d take into account our idea successful,” he says.

When requested how Mission Begin Ab is completely different from different exhibits championing entrepreneurs, Sushant says, “There’s been a surge in help programs like incubators, a stronger monetary ecosystem, and mentoring platforms, all contributing to nurturing entrepreneurship within the nation. There are different exhibits additionally contributing to this trigger. However what units our present aside is its give attention to celebrating your complete entrepreneurial journey, not simply the milestones.”

Kunal chimes in, “With the present, we goal to broaden the angle for Indian founders. We need to present them the startup journey, and the challenges it entails, and ask in the event that they’re prepared for it or what steps they should take to organize.”

It’s about opening up the view for aspiring founders who is likely to be sitting on the fence, not missing in intelligence, exhausting work, or integrity, however simply needing that further push, that spark to kickstart their mission.

“It’s a tremendous time to be alive right here in India. From being a prime international economic system centuries in the past to now on the point of reclaiming that place after 350 years, it’s thrilling as a result of this isn’t one thing we’re anticipating for future generations, however it’s taking place proper now!” he remarks.

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)