Founders of early-stage startups need to focus on problem-solving rather than merely catering to customer requests, say Mansi Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of DigitalPaani, and Shyam Menon, Co-Founder of Bharat Innovation Fund, in conversation with businessline’s Kurmanath K V.

Jain emphasises the significance of scalable solutions tackling environmental challenges, while Menon discusses red flags in startup evaluation, including a lack of deep understanding of the problem.

Menon offers practical strategies for managing cash flows and securing funding in the initial stages. He stresses the importance of setting clear milestones, prudent financial planning, and leveraging customer revenues to sustain operations. He also reflects on past experiences, illustrating the risks of being ahead of the market curve.

Jain says early-stage startups must seek customer feedback and cultivating customer champions. She points out that not focusing on problem-solving but merely catering to customer requests is a common mistake startups commit.

The guests end the podcast with highlighting the need for startups to balance innovation with market readiness.

Host: Kurmanath K V, Producer: Amitha Rajkumar and Anjana P V

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About the State of the Economy podcast 

India’s economy has been hailed as a bright spot amid the general gloom that seems to have enveloped the rest of the world. But several sectors continue to stutter even as others seem set to fire on all cylinders. To help you make sense of the bundle of contradictions that the country is, businessline brings you podcasts with experts ranging from finance and marketing to technology and start-ups 

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