inXights

Ganesh: Oh, several! But let me share three persistent ones

1. “It’s all about the idea” 

This is perhaps the most romanticised notion. In reality, it is rarely the idea. It is the execution, timing, and team. Many unicorns did not begin with a novel idea. For example, Ola wasn’t the first cab-hailing platform, and Zomato didn’t invent restaurant discovery. 

Ideas are plenty but what really makes the difference is the execution and loads of luck! 

2. “Fail fast = succeed fast” 

There is a big difference between failing smart and failing lazy. Resilience matters, but so does reflection. Some founders think pivoting often is a badge of honour, but real disruption often needs stubborn vision with flexible paths. 

Similarly , going after vanity metrics like GMV, market share with high cash burn, or building the company for next round of funding at high valuations does not work most of the times. 

3. “If it’s not tech, it’s not a startup” 

That is limiting. Even sectors like agriculture, logistics, and energy are ripe for disruption. Agri-startups like DeHaat are proving this — by reimagining value chains with or without deep tech. 

Ganesh: GenAI is arguably the biggest horizontal disruptor since the Internet itself. It will redefine organisational workflows, roles and responsibilities of professionals, disrupt what was considered valuable skills for decades, commoditise expertise. We are in very early stage of this entire evolution. 

For startups – this means impact at several levels. Things that used to take lot of time and effort earlier, can be done much quicker and cheaper – be it software development, automation, leaner organisation structure, and better research and knowledge access. 

This also opens up opportunities for GenAI-led or GenAI-native startups to mushroom that will take one problem and develop new age solutions to it, eg. vertical, domain-specific, or niche AI solutions.

But this democratisation has a flipside — differentiation becomes harder. If everyone can generate a chatbot or design a pitch deck, what truly sets you apart? Plus, there are serious ethical and regulatory shadows around data bias, misinformation, and hallucinations.

Ganesh: We’re entering the India-to-World decade, but to accelerate it, we need a few foundations. 

Product Maturity and Global UX Sensibility: Founders must build with the user in Berlin or Boston in mind, not just Bengaluru.

Strong IP and Tech Core: Deep-tech and SaaS exports are our gateway. Think Druva, Postman, Icertis — global plays with Indian DNA. 

Capital and Talent Flow Reforms – Easier capital mobility, ESOP liquidity, and flexible hiring structures can catalyze scale.

Cultural Confidence: The mindset must shift from being a vendor to being a visionary. We need more bold claims like, We are building the world’s best in category.

Ganesh: Volatility is not the bug — it is the system now! 

My advice is as follows. 

Learn to surf chaos: Build models that adapt, not just optimise. Think like a gardener, not an architect — foster emergence. Use the disruption to your advantage. 

Cultivate strategic patience: Many overnight successes took ten years. Disruption is not a sprint, it is often a marathon with detours. 

Use simulations and scenarios: Simulations (like the food truck challenge) allow for experimenting without consequence. Startups need to simulate the storm before they set sail. 

Invest in mental agility: Emotional resilience, clarity under pressure, and curiosity are your greatest assets

Ganesh: Yes — disruption isn’t a one-time wave. It is a tide that keeps rising. 

As we stand on the edge of Industry 5.0, synthetic biology, green energy platforms, and quantum computing are poised to rewrite the rules again. But disruption is not about tech alone — it is about reimagining value. 

The recent statements and move by Donald Trump and the shocking move by Microsoft to shutdown services to Nayara Energy brings us to the urgent need to create our own technology ecosystem and not be dependent for mission critical infrastructure on external agencies. 

And if India can combine its jugaad spirit with deep-tech capabilities and ethical frameworks, we will not just participate — we will shape the next wave of global disruption.