Bootstrapping Course: Welcome

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Featured Videos

The Startup Velocity Question: What Hinders Acceleration in VC Funded Companies?

I have been running 1Mby1M since 2010. I find myself saying to entrepreneurs ad nauseam that VCs want to invest in startups that can go from zero to $100 million in revenue in 5 to 7 years.

Startups that do not have what it takes to achieve velocity should not be venture funded.

Experienced VCs, over time, have developed heuristics to gauge what constitutes a high growth venture investment thesis. 

The Accelerator Conundrum: Navigating Your Path to Startup Success

The Accelerator Conundrum is a multipart series that challenges the prevailing wisdom of the tech startup ecosystem that entrepreneurs should Blitzscale out of the gate. Written by Sramana Mitra, the Founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first global virtual accelerator, it emphatically argues that a better strategy is to Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later, focus on customers, revenues and profits. 1Mby1M’s mission is to help a Million entrepreneurs reach a million dollars in annual revenue and beyond. Sramana’s Digital Mind AI Mentor virtually mentors entrepreneurs around the world in 57 languages. Try it out!

Alright, let’s cut through the noise and get to the brutal truth of the startup accelerator world. Many entrepreneurs, starry-eyed and naive, leap headfirst into 3-month accelerator programs without truly understanding the long-term implications. It’s time for an incisive commentary, a necessary dissection.

July 2 – 732nd 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 732nd FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 8 a.m. PDT / 11 a.m. EDT / 5 p.m. CEST / 8:30 p.m. India IST.

If you are a serious entrepreneur, register to Pitch and sell your business idea. You’ll receive straightforward feedback from Sramana Mitra, advice on next steps, and answers to any of your questions. Others can register to Attend to watch and learn.

You can learn more here and REGISTER TO PITCH OR ATTEND HERE. Please share with any entrepreneurs in your circle who may be Interested.

Featured Videos

731st 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable Recording

In case you missed it, you can listen to the recording here:

Roundtable Recap: June 25 – Choose a Startup Accelerator that Offers a Pedagogy and a Curriculum

When you join a startup accelerator, you are often looking for guidance, connections, and a path to scale. However, the current landscape of cohort-based, equity-charging incubators and accelerators has a glaring, structural defect. Many operate as mini-venture funds rather than educational institutions, prioritizing institutional fundraising over your long-term success.

As a founder, you shouldn’t be paying an accelerator tax of 7% to 10% of your equity for nothing more than a few months of general networking and pressure to pitch VCs. You deserve a partner that treats your business development as a science.

To evaluate whether an accelerator is actually helping you or just taking your equity, you need to look for two things that are almost entirely missing from the traditional Demo Day model: a pedagogy and a curriculum.

Video FAQs

Apple Bets on Seamless AI Integration, Not AI Hype

Last month, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) reported its quarterly earnings that outpaced market expectations. A better than expected outlook for the current quarter sent their stock climbing 3% in the after-hours trading session.

Top Accelerators for Entrepreneurs Bootstrapping with a Paycheck in Florida

This article summarizes the top startup accelerators for entrepreneurs bootstrapping with a paycheck in Florida, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

By Guest Author Kanav Sah | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

In The Accelerator Conundrum, Sramana Mitra highlights a persistent gap in the startup ecosystem: most accelerators are structured for founders who can commit full-time and pursue venture funding, while a large segment of entrepreneurs are bootstrapping alongside a steady paycheck.

Top Virtual Accelerators in Montana: A Guide for Solo and Bootstrapped Founders

This article examines the top virtual accelerators in Montana for entrepreneurs building capital-efficiently, and compares 1Mby1M against the local alternatives. It is based on the Accelerator Conundrum series, a deep examination of why the traditional accelerator model fails most founders, and what a better path looks like.

By Guest Author Shazil Cheema | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Montana is a state defined by independence, resilience, and working with what you have. Those same qualities describe the best kind of entrepreneur, the solo founder or bootstrapper who builds a business on their own terms, without chasing investors or relocating to a coastal hub. And yet, for Montana founders seeking structured startup support, the options have historically been thin on the ground.

Will Intuit’s AI Moves Help it Evolve, or Will it Get Cannibalized?

Last month, Intuit (Nasdaq: INTU) announced its third quarter results that failed to impress the market. The company saw revenues grow at the slowest rate since 2024. Intuit also announced a 17% reduction in its workforce as it reorganizes itself. Analysts believe that Intuit’s products will be cannibalized with the growth of AI use-cases. In reaction, Intuit’s stock has fallen nearly 40% this year.

Top Equity-Free Accelerators in Munich, Germany

This article summarizes the top equity-free accelerators in Munich, Germany and compares them to 1Mby1M.

By Guest Author Aliza Carlson | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Munich is one of Europe’s most dynamic startup ecosystems, especially for AI, enterprise software, deep tech, robotics, mobility and industrial innovation. This city’s synthesis of engineering talent, the research institutions of leading global corporations and the economic strengths with which those institutions align has opened up fertile ground for entrepreneurship.