Step By Step Guidebook for Startups To Launch TheirProjects and Grow by Ajay Batra

In today’s time with the rising acceptance of entrepreneurship and a fast-developing ecosystem of peers, investors, mentors, incubators, Government & Corporates, there has never been a better time to start up. However, the failure rate among startups remains as high as 90% with 80% facing closure within the first 18 months. Keeping in mind the challenges in the startup ecosystem ‘The Startup LaunchBook’ provides a structured approach to launch fundamentally-sound and investable startups.

With an increasing number of youths deciding to become job-creator rather than job-seekers, this book is well-timed to guide new entrepreneurs to a path of success. The book, a first-of-its-kind from India, helps improve start-up outcomes, enabling founders, incubators, and investors to get better ROI. With a renewed national focus on Startup India, Atal Innovation Mission, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, the book is well-timed to support the dream of the next-gen founders.

Ajay Batra, EVP, Wadhwani Venture Fastrack, an entrepreneur and angel investor, decided to write this book to guide those who want to take the entrepreneurial plunge.  The book introduces, and derives inspiration from the Startup Maturity Model^© (SMM), a global-first maturity framework that balances the art, science, and practice of launching exceptional start-ups. SMM’s unique five-level architecture allows founders to take the guessing game out of the equation as they follow an iterative approach for building innovative and scalable startups.

Revealing the inspiration behind his book, Ajay Batra, Executive VP, Wadhwani Venture Fastrack said, “Over the last decade, as I became a startup investor and mentor, I have repeatedly been asked questions from start-ups around the basics of starting-up. As I offered appropriate responses to each situation, I realized with so many moving parts involved in launching a startup, founding teams would be well-served with a practical approach, with clear milestones, to plan and track their launch and growth journey. It is also evident that startups need to think beyond products and build a holistic foundation for scaling-up. Hence, the idea of SMM, and the book.”

STARTUPS: REAP THESE GAINS

• Save time and money by following a launch roadmap with clear milestones
• Build products or services that address validated customer needs
• Focus not just on starting-up, but on building a lasting company
• Assess your startup’s maturity objectively at any point

STARTUPS:  AVOID THESE PAINS

• Frustration of a “solution looking for a problem” approach
• Friction and misunderstanding between co-founders
• Anxiety associated with pursuing ideas with weak revenue and growth potential
•         Chasing external funds without clarity on the startup’s purpose and strengths

“The Startup Launchbook serves as a guide in an entrepreneur’s journey. It is a workbook which provides tools and template to engage with the material and reflect on one’s progress. It explains the core concepts of starting-up with examples while tracking stories of successful entrepreneurs through case studies, thereby helping new ventures”, he adds.