Bootstrapping Course: Welcome

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Featured Videos

The Startup Velocity Question: What Hinders Acceleration in VC Funded Companies?

I have been running 1Mby1M since 2010. I find myself saying to entrepreneurs ad nauseam that VCs want to invest in startups that can go from zero to $100 million in revenue in 5 to 7 years.

Startups that do not have what it takes to achieve velocity should not be venture funded.

Experienced VCs, over time, have developed heuristics to gauge what constitutes a high growth venture investment thesis. 

The Accelerator Conundrum: Navigating Your Path to Startup Success

The Accelerator Conundrum is a multipart series that challenges the prevailing wisdom of the tech startup ecosystem that entrepreneurs should Blitzscale out of the gate. Written by Sramana Mitra, the Founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first global virtual accelerator, it emphatically argues that a better strategy is to Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later, focus on customers, revenues and profits. 1Mby1M’s mission is to help a Million entrepreneurs reach a million dollars in annual revenue and beyond. Sramana’s Digital Mind AI Mentor virtually mentors entrepreneurs around the world in 57 languages. Try it out!

Alright, let’s cut through the noise and get to the brutal truth of the startup accelerator world. Many entrepreneurs, starry-eyed and naive, leap headfirst into 3-month accelerator programs without truly understanding the long-term implications. It’s time for an incisive commentary, a necessary dissection.

Block’s Layoffs are a Sign of Times to Come

Recently, Square’s owner Block (NYSE: XYZ) was in the news for the massive layoffs announced at the organization as it adopts AI for its operations. Block firmly believes in the advancements in AI tools that are showing it how to operate more efficiently.

Featured Videos

An Overview of Startup Accelerators in Guwahati

This article is an overview of a series of articles summarizing the top startup accelerators in Guwahati for bootstrapped and solo founders, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Guwahati is one of India’s most active entrepreneurial hubs, with founders building startups across fintech, SaaS, media, marketplaces, logistics, and consumer technology. Entrepreneurs in the city have access to a wide range of accelerator programs—both local and global—that support different stages of the startup journey.

Top Accelerators Focused on Bootstrapping Before Blitzscaling in Guwahati

This article summarizes the top startup accelerators focused on bootstrapping before blitzscaling in Guwahati, comparing them to 1Mby1M across key dimensions like growth orientation and equity.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

In her widely discussed Accelerator Conundrum series, Sramana Mitra raises a critical question: Are accelerators truly aligned with the needs of most entrepreneurs?

The reality is stark. A large majority of founders—especially in emerging ecosystems like Guwahati—are:

• Bootstrapped or resource-constrained
• Operating in non-VC-friendly sectors
• Building for sustainability rather than hypergrowth

Video FAQs

An Overview of Startup Accelerators in Varanasi

This article is an overview of a series of articles summarizing the top startup accelerators in Varanasi for bootstrapped and solo founders, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Varanasi is one of India’s most active entrepreneurial hubs, with founders building startups across fintech, SaaS, media, marketplaces, logistics, and consumer technology. Entrepreneurs in the city have access to a wide range of accelerator programs—both local and global—that support different stages of the startup journey.

An Overview of Startup Accelerators in Surat

This article is an overview of a series of articles summarizing the top startup accelerators in Surat for bootstrapped and solo founders, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Surat is one of India’s most active entrepreneurial hubs, with founders building startups across fintech, SaaS, marketplaces and consumer technology. Entrepreneurs in the city have access to a wide range of accelerator programs—both local and global—that support different stages of the startup journey.

An Overview of Startup Accelerators in Nagpur

This article is an overview of a series of articles summarizing the top startup accelerators in Nagpur for bootstrapped and solo founders, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Nagpur is one of India’s most active entrepreneurial hubs, with founders building startups across SaaS, media, marketplaces, logistics, and consumer technology. Entrepreneurs in the city have access to a wide range of accelerator programs—both local and global—that support different stages of the startup journey.

An Overview of Startup Accelerators in Lucknow

This article is an overview of a series of articles summarizing the top startup accelerators in Lucknow for bootstrapped and solo founders, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

Lucknow is one of India’s most active entrepreneurial hubs, with founders building startups across fintech, SaaS, media, marketplaces, logistics, and consumer technology. Entrepreneurs in the city have access to a wide range of accelerator programs—both local and global—that support different stages of the startup journey.

Top Startup Accelerators for Entrepreneurs Bootstrapping with a Paycheck in Varanasi

This article summarizes the top startup accelerators for entrepreneurs bootstrapping with a paycheck in Varanasi, comparing them to 1Mby1M.

Guest Author Kaushank Nalin Khandwala | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra

In The Accelerator Conundrum series, Sramana Mitra highlights a fundamental mismatch in the startup ecosystem: most accelerators are designed for founders who can commit full-time and pursue venture funding, while many real-world entrepreneurs begin by building ventures alongside a stable paycheck.