The Startup Journey

By Arun Natarajan Here is a posting (quoted verbatim) from the telecom focused India-GII forum at Yahoo Groups (dated Jan 13, 2004): Three months before, I got a connection from my cable operator who had takn a pipe from HTMT (in cable netowrk) Setup charges 3500, monthly Rs. 500 for 400 MB data transfer. When I mentioned it on this list the members advised me that it is not posible to offer such rats. I should have heeded their advice. last month suddenly my connection stopped working. When I enquired, I found that that I had used up my 250 MB limit. I was shocked, asked what is the matter and was given a new rate card of 250 MB for Rs. 500. No intimatin no warnings Just a simple blocking through their software. Reason HTMT has increased their rates. It was a simple marketing technique. Offer reduced rates, once I am hooked on to it, increase rates. Now I am stuck to their rates. They charge Rs. 1000 for single computer for unlimited access but I am not biting this ...

Nasscom proposes fund to help SMEs file patents The National Association of Software & Services Companies (Nasscom) has proposed a special fund, in association with the Indian government, to provide financial assistance to small and medium sized software products firms to file patents, Financial Express reports quoting Nasscom president Kiran Karnik. The quantum of the funds required for each company will be determined by a Nasscom-designated committee based on the importance of the product and the extent of handholding required. The funds will be provided initially as a loan. If the patent application is successful, the amount will be converted into a grant. Click Here to read the full news item.

Govt. announces Rs.10,000-Cr fund to provide soft loans for SMEs On January 09, the finance minister Jaswant Singh announced that the central government is to set up a Rs.10,000 crore fund for providing loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The interest on loans from the new fund will be provided at 2% below the prime lending rate, the minister said. The fund is expected to be operational within four weeks and is to be structured by the the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Click Here to read the PTI news agency report on the announcement.

Be vary of VCs, say ex-Internet entrepreneurs "In 2002, we sold egurucool to NIIT for Rs.14 crore. But that was because we were forced by the venture capitalists (VCs) to do so. I didn’t want to," says Vivek Agrawal, co-founder of online education company egurucool, in a Business Standard article. "VCs are a double-edged sword," he adds in the article featuring interviews with former Internet entrepreneurs and executives. "Set up your venture without external investment," advises Rajiv Vij, co-founder of net2travel. Click Here to read the full article.