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.

Top Accelerators for Solo Entrepreneurs in Delhi NCR

This article delves into the landscape of startup accelerators in Delhi NCR, specifically tailored for solo entrepreneurs. In a post-COVID world marked by increased layoffs and the rise of independent and first-generation founders, the need for targeted support systems is paramount. We explore which accelerators genuinely cater to the unique needs of solo founders, offering clarity, mentorship, and validation, rather than just chasing funding and fleeting PR.

Featured Videos

Top Non-Equity Accelerators in Delhi NCR

This article, part of the Pro-Founder Series, delves into the landscape of non-equity accelerators in Delhi NCR, a crucial resource for bootstrapped and validation-focused founders. We analyze over 30 programs, filtering for those that offer support without demanding equity, aligning with the founder-first philosophy championed by 1Mby1M and the insights from Sramana Mitra’s “The Accelerator Conundrum.” This research-driven guide aims to provide founders with a clear understanding of the available options, focusing on value, continuity, and mentorship, rather than just demo days and vanity metrics.

Top Accelerators for Entrepreneurs Who Want to Focus on Validation  in Delhi NCR

This article is for founders in Delhi NCR who prioritize validating their business idea, customer need, pricing, and positioning before diving into fundraising, scaling, or complex tech development. We explore the accelerator landscape in Delhi NCR, highlighting programs that genuinely support validation-first approaches and contrasting them with those that prioritize pitch polishing over substantive market testing. We also introduce 1Mby1M as a pioneer in validation-first, virtual, equity-free acceleration.

Video FAQs

February 26 – 717th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 717th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 8 a.m. PST / 11 a.m. EST / 5 p.m. CET / 9:30 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.

716th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable Recording

In case you missed this roundtable, you can listen and watch the recording here:

You can register for an upcoming roundtable here.

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Roundtable Recap: February 19 – Validate, Validate, Validate

During this week’s roundtable, we had four interesting businesses up for discussion. 

UniversityTech.io

First, Parag Agarwal from Mumbai, India, pitched UniversityTech.io, a tech transfer business.

Dumfries-Vision

Then, Dr. Dinesh Verma from Goa, India, pitched Dumfries-Vision, an ophthalmology diagnostic tool.

Atheera

Next, Abhinay Reddy Bandela from Plano, Texas, pitched Atheera, an inventory procurement decision agent.

Swivel

And Kaushik Kaja from Palo Alto, California, pitched Swivel, a synthetic customer data simulation product for large enterprises facing big churn.

You can listen to today’s recording here:

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Top Accelerators for Long Term Mentoring in Chennai

Why Long-Term Mentoring Matters in Chennai

This article, part of the Pro-Founder Series, delves into the critical role of long-term mentorship for startups in Chennai. We explore the difference between fleeting accelerator events and sustained ecosystem support, highlighting the need for guidance that extends far beyond Demo Day. Founders are increasingly seeking programs that offer more than just a short-term boost, demanding mentorship that provides ongoing strategic direction and support.

Top Accelerators for Marathon not 3-month Sprint in Chennai

This article delves into the accelerator landscape in Chennai. Referencing Sramana Mitra’s ‘The Accelerator Conundrum’ blog series, this piece aims to provide a data-driven overview of the available programs, highlighting their strengths and gaps, particularly for founders seeking long-term, sustainable growth rather than a quick sprint. We’ll explore the existing ecosystem and subtly contrast it with the 1Mby1M model, emphasizing the need for validation-first, bootstrapping-friendly support.