Catching Up On Readings: MWC 2024

This feature from The Verge investigates what is expected to launch at the Mobile World Congress to be held in Barcelona from February 26th. For this week’s posts, click on the paragraph links.

Featured Videos

Colors: La Nuit VII

I’m publishing this series on LinkedIn called Colors to explore a topic that I care deeply about: the Renaissance Mind. I am just as passionate about entrepreneurship, technology, and business, as I am about art and culture. In this series, I will typically publish a piece of art – one of my paintings – and I request you to spend a minute or two deeply meditating on it. I urge you to watch your feelings, thoughts, reactions to the piece, and write what comes to you, what thoughts it triggers, in the dialog area. Let us see what stimulation this interaction yields. For today – La Nuit VII

La Nuit VII | Sramana Mitra, 2021 | Watercolor, Pastel, Ink | 8  x 8, On Paper

Colors: La Nuit VI

I’m publishing this series on LinkedIn called Colors to explore a topic that I care deeply about: the Renaissance Mind. I am just as passionate about entrepreneurship, technology, and business, as I am about art and culture. In this series, I will typically publish a piece of art – one of my paintings – and I request you to spend a minute or two deeply meditating on it. I urge you to watch your feelings, thoughts, reactions to the piece, and write what comes to you, what thoughts it triggers, in the dialog area. Let us see what stimulation this interaction yields. For today – La Nuit VI

La Nuit VI | Sramana Mitra, 2021 | Watercolor, Pastel, Ink | 8  x 8, On Paper

Video FAQs

March 7 – 634th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 634th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, March 7, 2024, 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. All are welcome!

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped to Over $10M First

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Koncert (formerly ConnectLeader) CEO / CTO Senraj Soundar had bootstrapped his company to over $10 million in revenue before raising VC funds when we spoke in 2017. We love stories like this that reinforce our philosophy: “Do not go to VCs as beggars, go as kings!”

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

Senraj Soundar: I was born and brought up in India, particularly in Southern India. I got my Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in Chennai. Around that time when I graduated, I received an award from the President of India for the best invention in the country. It was called the National Technology Award. They give out one award each year. I won that award in 1991, and it was given in 1992. The following year, I came to the US and went to UMass to get my Computer Science degree.

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Cloud Stocks: Atlassian’s Cloud Story Hits a Bump

Enterprise collaboration solutions provider Atlassian (Nasdaq: TEAM) recently announced its second quarter results that surpassed market expectations. This was a milestone quarter for the company as it surpassed $1 billion in revenues for the first time.

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped First, Scaled with VC Funds to an Exit

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

When we spoke in 2019, Faction Founder Luke Norris had executed a tremendously effective Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later strategy from Colorado. Faction was recently acquired by ORIX.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

Luke Norris: I was born in Nevada. 

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Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped by Piggybacking to $6M from Romania

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

You may have read our PaaS coverage, as well as Bootstrapping by Piggybacking posts. Well, when we spoke in 2020, 123FormBuilder CEO Florin Cornianu had built a $6 million SaaS business using this methodology with just $1 million in funding. What’s more, he had done it entirely from Romania and selling to largely a US customer base. Excellent story!

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

Florin Cornianu: I’m the CEO and Co-founder of 123FormBuilder. We are a form-building SaaS. The company is in Romania. I was born in a small city in the northern part of Romania. I’m an engineer by profession. I graduated with computer science degree from a large university in the city where I live.

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