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.

March 5 – 718th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 718th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 8 a.m. PST / 11 a.m. EST / 5 p.m. CET / 9:30 p.m. India IST.

If you are a serious entrepreneur, register to Pitch and sell your business idea. You’ll receive straightforward feedback from Sramana Mitra, advice on next steps, and answers to any of your questions. Others can register to Attend to watch and learn.

You can learn more here and REGISTER TO PITCH OR ATTEND HERE. Please share with any entrepreneurs in your circle who may be Interested.

Featured Videos

717th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable Recording

In the 717th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable, Sramana Mitra addresses one of the most misunderstood concepts in early-stage fundraising: the difference between Top-Down TAM and Bottom-Up TAM, and why that distinction directly determines startup fundability. Watch the full recording below to understand how Bottom-Up TAM transforms your startup fundability story from theory into measurable proof.

Roundtable Recap: February 26 – Tackling TAM and the Path to Fundability

The Core Challenge: Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up TAM

During this week’s 1Mby1M roundtable, we saw a recurrence of an issue that plagues nearly 80% of the startups that pitch to us: the confusion between Top-Down TAM and Bottom-Up TAM. Most first-time entrepreneurs struggle to define a Bottom-Up Total Addressable Market, yet this metric is the bedrock of assessing your fundability. Without it, you are pitching on hope rather than evidence.

Spotlight: Asksolique (Chennai, India)

Chirag Bain joined us from Chennai to pitch Asksolique, an AI startup aiming to build the “operating system” for global tax advice. While the vision is ambitious, the company is seeking $3M in funding before it is truly ready.

Asksolique’s journey highlights a universal truth: entrepreneurs must understand their fundability prospects, and their specific market math, before venturing out to raise money.

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Video FAQs

Top Non-Equity Accelerators in Ahmedabad

Why This Matters in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad startup ecosystem has seen growing momentum post-COVID, driven less by flashy funding figures and more by bootstrapped, founder-led ventures rooted in validation and execution. Non-equity accelerators matter now more than ever, enabling entrepreneurs in Ahmedabad to access mentorship, infrastructure, and continuity without surrendering equity. These models align with founder-first principles, placing long-term value, learning, and sustainability above vanity metrics like demo days or fundraising volume.

Top Accelerators for Personalized Investor Introductions in Ahmedabad

Why This Topic Matters in Ahmedabad

“All-access investor passes” often translate into noisy crowds rather than meaningful connections. Especially for solo or validation-stage founders in Ahmedabad, the difference between a warm, stage-aligned intro and a mass Demo Day pitch can define your startup’s trajectory. It’s time to spotlight accelerators that forge real alignment over fleeting visibility.

Top Accelerators for Entrepreneurs Bootstrapping with a Paycheck in Ahmedabad

Why This Approach Matters in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad is seeing a rising class of side-hustle founders—salaried professionals juggling EMIs, dependents, and dreams of launching startups. The romanticized “all-in” narrative—that quitting your job is the only way to succeed—marginalizes those building under the radar. These founders need pathways that recognize their limited time and financial risk tolerance. It matters in Ahmedabad, a city rich in entrepreneurial heritage yet still shaped by conservative risk norms. A pro-founder ecosystem should welcome the paycheck-bootstrapped rather than penalize them.

Top Virtual Accelerators in Ahemdabad

Why this matters in Ahmedabad?

Ahmedabad’s startup ecosystem is gaining momentum, yet founders—especially solo or bootstrapped ones—often struggle to access tailored virtual accelerator programs. Virtual formats can overcome geographic constraints and tight budgets, offering scalable mentorship and peer networks. For Ahmedabad-based founders, local hubs like CIIE.CO at IIM-A and i-Hub offer hybrid and physical support, but the virtual dimension can fill crucial gaps in access and flexibility. A founder-first approach means evaluating programs through clarity, actionable frameworks, and long-term founder development—not hype.

Top Accelerators for Marathon not 3-month Sprint in Ahmedabad

This article, part of the Pro-Founder Series aligned with the 1Mby1M philosophy and The Accelerator Conundrum, delves into the accelerator landscape in Ahmedabad. We analyze the prevalent short-term, Demo Day-focused programs and highlight the critical need for long-term, sustainable support systems that truly empower founders. This research identifies accelerators that prioritize validation, founder-friendliness, and sustained mentorship, offering a valuable guide for entrepreneurs seeking enduring partnerships rather than fleeting boosts.