
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!
Qatar has invested heavily in building its innovation ecosystem. Under Vision 2030, government ministries, foundations, and public-private collaboratives have launched accelerators, incubators, incentive programs, and international partnerships. The infrastructure is strong, the ambition is high.
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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!
Bahrain punches above its weight in the Gulf startup ecosystem: regulatory innovation, a diverse population, strong bilingual capacity, progressive investment in fintech, and a growing network of accelerators, grants, co-working spaces.
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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!
Saudi Arabia has been investing heavily in its startup ecosystem. Under Vision 2030, accelerators, incubators, government programs, and mega-projects have become part of the national strategy: to diversify the economy, develop local talent, and position Saudi as a regional—and global—innovation hub.
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Sandeep Sardana, Founder and General Partner at BluePointe Ventures, discusses his firm’s vertical AI investment thesis.
>>>Sramana Mitra: Let me ask you an interesting question. We have companies like this in our portfolio—really interesting, exciting companies. There is a question these companies have to answer: which go-to-market strategy, which business model do they go with? Do they sell software to clients, or do they sell services to end customers? Because in many cases, they could do either.
>>>Sramana Mitra: Let me ask you a broader trend question based on this case study you just took us through, which is really exciting and interesting. There is a lot of talk right now in the industry about full vertical AI solutions in various industry spaces. How do you see that playing out?
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Entrepreneurs are invited to the 707th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, November 6, 2025, 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, advice on next steps, and answers to any of your questions. Others can register to Attend to watch, learn, and interact through the online chat.
You can learn more here and REGISTER TO PITCH OR ATTEND HERE. Register and you will receive the recording by email, even if you are unable to attend. Please share with any entrepreneurs in your circle who may be Interested.
Daniel Ibri is Co-founder and Managing Partner at Mindset Ventures. This is an excellent discussion about the changing dynamics of AI and venture capital.
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