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!
Nigeria has rightly earned its reputation as the startup powerhouse of Africa. With a massive, youthful population and a vibrant, entrepreneurial culture, the ecosystem centered in Lagos has produced unicorns and attracted significant global investment. However, this success is built on a flawed foundation. As I’ve articulated in my The Accelerator Conundrum blog series, the prevalent model—a fixed-term, cohort-based, equity-taking program—is a dangerous game that is actively holding back the region’s full potential.
>>>The Accelerator Conundrumis 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!
West Africa’s startup ecosystem is arguably the most dynamic on the continent, led by powerhouses like Nigeria and Ghana, which have produced unicorns and attracted massive foreign investment. However, this success is often built on a flawed foundation. As I’ve articulated in my The Accelerator Conundrum blog series, the prevalent model—a fixed-term, cohort-based, equity-taking program—is a dangerous game that is actively holding back the region’s full potential.
>>>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!
Tanzania, with its large domestic market and youthful population, is on the cusp of a major entrepreneurial boom. The government’s increasing focus on digitalization and a growing number of community-led tech hubs signal immense potential. But as I’ve articulated in my The Accelerator Conundrum blog series, a flourishing ecosystem can still be held back by flawed institutional models. In Tanzania, where access to capital is still a significant hurdle, the prevalent “Blitzscale from the get-go” mentality is a dangerous path.
>>>Sramana Mitra: How does the competitive landscape map out?
>>>By Snigdha Sahoo and Kaushank Khandwala
The Accelerator Conundrumis 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!
Across 10 posts, we explored Chennai’s startup accelerator ecosystem with a simple filter: no PR, no noise—just clear insights. Guided by Sramana Mitra’s The Accelerator Conundrum, this series compared how different programs measure up on founder-first priorities.
>>>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!
Uganda’s startup ecosystem is a story of grassroots resilience and community-driven innovation. With a youthful population and a strong culture of social enterprise, the country has produced inspiring companies despite facing significant challenges in infrastructure and funding. But as I’ve articulated in my The Accelerator Conundrum blog series, these homegrown ecosystems often fall into a trap: they adopt the traditional, equity-taking accelerator model that is ill-suited to their local context.
>>>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!
Kenya has long been hailed as the “Silicon Savannah,” the undeniable leader of East Africa’s startup ecosystem. With Nairobi as its vibrant hub, the country attracts the lion’s share of regional funding and boasts a culture of innovation driven by mobile technology. However, as I’ve articulated in my The Accelerator Conundrum blog series, a flourishing ecosystem does not mean its underlying models are sound. In fact, many of Kenya’s incubators and accelerators operate on a flawed premise that is holding back its full potential.
>>>Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) has been on the road to recovery this year. This was the second quarter since the new CEO Lip-Bu Tan took over. Lip-Bu has been focused on making Intel’s products competitive again while driving efficiency across the organization.
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