In this very brief time we have managed to become the voice of the India product software industry, connected with key members of the government, started building out a global M&A initiative, launched a Software Adoption Initiative and conducted series of round-tables that have been focussed on bringing key learning opportunities.
So far the activities of iSPIRT have been driven by it's Founder Circle with active volunteer support from several other people. Given our ambitous agenda for the year's ahead and with a view to include more Indian product software companies into the iSPIRT fold, we have decided to create a 50 strong "Product Circle" by invitation.
2. The Beginning of a Transformation
History is witness... transformations start at grassroots
• The French Renaissance and the Industrial
• The Information “Revolution”
• The anti-corruption movement
These Transformative movements had 4 things in common:
• A Vision for the future
• Strong sense of ownership
• Deep desire to drive change for the better
• Widespread support
3. India has proven its prowess as a Software
Services Nation.
The next wave of Transformation would see
India being re-born as a Product Nation.
Just like all
Transformative
movements, this too is
a Grassroots movement
4. iSPIRT’s humble beginning
• iSPIRT has been at the forefront of thought leadership to fuel
this Transformation. It is consciously modeled as a Think
Tank. It consciously works as a catalyst and not a power
center.
• iSPIRT, being a Think Tank is inclusive and seeks to nurture
the Products ecosystem to achieve global scale.
• This Transformation is underway. A few forward thinkers
made a beginning by coming together and founding iSPIRT
one year ago. This is our Founder’s Circle.
• The results are gratifying. Simultaneously we are humbled by
the collective achievement made possible by the Founder
Circle, iSPIRT Fellows, iSPIRT Mavens and Saarthis. This is
the combined force of iSPIRT.
5. This is base camp
We still have a long journey. There is no doubt this will be as
challenging as the 1st attempt to scale Everest.
It’s been a journey from simple “governing principles” to becoming
an impactful ecosystem catalyst in One year…
6. A quick peek at
how we reached to base camp
4 February 2013 iSPIRT is launched
8 March M&A Connect - Position Paper: Increasing M&A
opportunities for product startups
28 March Blue Paper: Need for Level Playing Field for
Software Products “Made in India”
4 April 1st Playbook Roundtable: Positioning and
messaging for Product Entrepreneurs
9 April Blue Paper: Promotion of investments in R&D /
creation of IP
24 April Blue Paper: Ownership structure of Indian
companies and promotion of investments
1 May Blue Paper: Clarification of taxation associated with
software products
7. A quick peek at how we reached base camp
23 May 2013 1st M&A Connect Roundtable in Silicon Valley
June Software Adoption Initiative (SAI program focused on domestic
market) :
- Reaches out to 2500 retailers in Jewelry industry
- Designs SAI to solve friction in Product adoption
- Evangelises business benefits of using Products.
- Pilot now would be extended to other industries.
15 August “High touch” engagement with 120 Software Product companies
in 120 days
10 October iSPIRT announces partnership with Signal Hill, global investment
banking firm specialized in PE and M&A
7 September TechShowcase with Zensar -10 companies showcase their
products
4-5 December #PNCamp - 1st Bootcamp for Product Entrepreneurs, Pune
16 Dec Feature in INC - India: The Next Big Startup Nation?
8. And many more milestones in 2014…
9 January 2014 iSPIRT helps Little Eye Labs in the acquisition by
Facebook – FB likes Indian tech products sector
18 January 500 blog posts till date on ProductNation
19 January 300 companies impacted directly through Round
Tables and PNCamp
... and a passionate community of Fellows and Mavens
29 January iSPIRT welcomes CeBIT to India
30 January – 2
February
M&A Connect Roundtable in Palo Alto – Google shares
Waze experience
4 February 1st
Product Industry Monitor report released
4 February Annual Letter released
10 April First InTech50 successfully completed at Bangalore.
25 CIOs from US preview hot Indian products
2 - 3 May M&A Connect Roundtable in Palo Alto
9. Reaching out for support
Scaling peaks needs mobilization, and you can contribute
meaningfully towards nurturing iSPIRT’s mission
Product Circle is this opportunity. It is only by invitation.
A select set of like-minded folks are being sought to come together
to power Year 2 of this journey
Their names will be etched in the annals of iSPIRT for posterity
10. • Get a National Industry Classification (NIC) code for Software Product
Industry in India (SPI) and to get recognized in Indian government machinery
• Achieve Accelerated growth of the SPI
• We seek to create healthier power-law distribution of big and small firms
• iSPIRT’s market catalysts help companies scale
• Measured by Market Capitalization (not revenues)
• Create India as a global hub for SPI
• Bigger than Israel in M&A (not startup density)
• Measure of success would be the number and value to M&A deals
• Strong software products culture and ecosystem
• Where tacit knowledge thrives and powers success
• iSPIRT Playbooks is ‘Cricket Australia’ of SPI
• Measured by Market-Product Fit Velocity (to capture reducing gestation
periods over time)
Work is cut out
This is what we want to achieve…
11. Transformation needs active support
iSPIRT takes a fresh approach and is doing what no ecosystem player in India has
attempted to do before.
The overwhelming success in “software services” makes software synonymous
with the software service industry. Achieving success in software products calls for
a paradigm shift in the way this industry has to grow.
Years from now, it will appear amazing how this movement started in a small way
in 2013 and was able to make a real dent in the world.
There will be several who will watch from the sidelines. It’s only the
ones who are assertive and choose to lead from the front, that make a
difference.
You CAN make a difference by participating.
12. How you can contribute
Limited donor slots are open for Product
companies
Companies are personally invited based
on their like-mindedness and who want
to support with passion
Your company would officially be
recognized as a Product Circle
donor
In case you can’t contribute as a
company, you are welcome to contribute
in your individual capacity
13. In case you were wondering
how would the donations be useful to iSPIRT?
iSPIRT is a donor-supported Think Tank. It is a non-profit body.
30 Founder Circle Donors provided the initial corpus. Companies like
Pubmatic, Persistent, Capillary, Helion, Tally, Newgen, Inmobi,
Fusionsharts, Pramati, One97 and several more are leading from the
front.
iSPIRT Fellows power several of the initiatives mentioned earlier.
As a Product Circle donor you would be supplementing that corpus
and help drive the upcoming initiatives that power iSPIRT’s mission.
Several market catalysts have already been launched.
Product Circle donors will help accelerate these catalysts that impact
the product ecosystem directly.
14. As a donor…
You’ll get monthly updates on all activities just like the Founder
Circle does
There would be events where you would be invited to share your
ideas and be able to shape and influence the thrust of iSPIRT
programs
iSPIRT’s Donor certificate would help you display your affiliation at
your workplaces
iSPIRT’s credibility will add prestige to your reputation as a product
company
MORE IMPORTANTLY… You’ll be part of history in the
making