Building an AI Platform Company for Real-Time Applications: Vantiq CEO Marty Sprinzen (Part 1)

The world is severely short of AI talent to build complex solutions. It is essential that platforms offer layers of abstraction on top of which systems can be built without getting deep into the weeds. Vantiq is innovating with such a platform and offering excellent business model options including revenue sharing, outcome-based pricing, etc. Very cool company.

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The Accelerator Conundrum: Playbook for Entrepreneurs Building 2-Sided Marketplaces

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!

Two-sided marketplaces are deceptively complex. Founders often underestimate the difficulty of igniting both sides of the equation—supply and demand—simultaneously. Add to this the noise of accelerators pushing scale-before-substance, and you have a recipe for premature failure.

The Accelerator Conundrum: Playbook for Solo Entrepreneurs Bootstrapping an Ultralight Startup

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!

You’re a solo founder with a big vision but limited resources. Smart. The conventional startup path isn’t built for you. An “ultralight startup” strategy focuses on extreme leanness, rapid validation, and achieving profitability with minimal overhead. It’s about building a sustainable business, on your terms, without needing a team or external capital initially.

Video FAQs

The Accelerator Conundrum: Playbook for Founders Bootstrapping with Services

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!

You’re a founder leveraging services to build your product. Smart move. This strategy provides immediate revenue, funds product development, and offers direct market validation – all without premature dilution. It’s about building a sustainable foundation, on your terms.

1Mby1M Entrepreneur Bootstrapping an AI Deep Learning Venture to over $5M ARR: Bharath Gaddam, CEO of Data Poem (Part 7)

Sramana Mitra: What were the ARR numbers between 2022 and 2023? Can you walk me through that growth?

Colors: Drama in Light II

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 – Drama in Light II

Drama in Light II | Sramana Mitra, 2018 | Watercolor, Ink, Pastel | 18  x 24, On Paper

The Accelerator Conundrum: Bootstrapping with a Paycheck: Playbook for Founders with a Day Job

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!

You have a day job and a startup dream. Smart. Most startups fail due to lack of market need or running out of cash. By bootstrapping with a paycheck, you mitigate both risks. 

You get validated, build traction, and achieve repeatability without burning savings or seeking early, dilutive capital. This is about building a robust foundation, on your terms.

How do you strategically leverage your day job to build your venture? The 1Mby1M Premium Accelerator offers a proven Playbook.

The Accelerator Conundrum: Playbook for Fundraising for B2B SaaS/AI

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!

You’ve built a B2B SaaS or AI solution with traction and revenue. Now, considering external capital? Understand this: fundraising for bootstrapped companies is a unique game. It’s about demonstrated performance and strategic scaling, not just hype.