This fortnight’s column is different. I am not writing about startups; instead, I am coming up for some air. Let me explain.

In March 2023, my good friend Dinakaran Rangachari introduced me to Raghuvir Srinivasan, the editor of The Hindu Business Line. One thing led to a few others and, very quickly, I agreed to pen or type (AI prompts were relatively unknown then) a column on startup-related topics. I decided to give this a shot because startups are a fast-evolving domain and there’s always lots to outrage about. The first column appeared in June. Two years on, my first thought is, ‘how quickly time flies!’

As I celebrate the 50th-anniversary column, I’m filled with a sense of gratitude and fulfilment. What started as a desire to share my thoughts has become a humbling journey of reflection and learning together with a community of readers and entrepreneurs. Some friends I had lost touch with came across my columns and reconnected. A professor who teaches entrepreneurship in a leading business school told me he regularly discusses my articles with his students. Founders reach out to me with specific questions and some also request mentorship. But the interaction I truly treasure is with a founder from New Delhi who was forced to shut down her failed apparel venture and was suffering from depression over the financial losses. Over the phone, she told me that some of my columns mentally helped her overcome the situation and she is now planning her next startup. More power to her.

The actual writing has been a mix of ups and downs. Some days the words flowed easily; on other days I spent hours staring at a blank screen and wondering how I got here. Earlier, I used to envy columnists who write regularly on various topics while meeting tight deadlines. I don’t any longer.

Despite the challenges, it has been fun tackling a range of topics, sprinkled with my personal experiences as an entrepreneur. The columns have covered a wide range of topics — from fundraising and product-market fit to founder dilemmas, pivot stories, and the ever-changing investor landscape.

I have also learned a lot. The columns have forced me to stay updated with current happenings in the startup ecosystem. A launch here, a fundraise there, an exit somewhere else, a controversy in another corner, a chance conversation with a founder, a shutdown in my backyard; each of them triggered a piece. Some of the columns have also helped me review my positions on some topics.

Here’s something before I sign off. A lot of people have told me they read my columns because they love the title “Startups: Vai-Thee-Fuss?”.

Thank you so much, dear readers, for your patience. Look forward to your continued support.

(The writer is a serial entrepreneur and best-selling author of the book ‘Failing to Succeed’; posts on X @vaitheek)

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Published on June 22, 2025