Wisdom in fragments

As we scaled up and prepared to go public, we realized that 'learning by doing' wouldn't always cut it. We needed to bring in individuals with expertise and experience, those who had 'been there, done that.' While we are immensely proud of starting out in Chennai, our aspiration has always been to establish a global presence.

Founder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company

We didn't initiate this venture to merely establish another VC fund – India certainly doesn't need an additional one, given the abundance of capital already available. Our belief at Together Fund is that we can effect change through our current, first-hand experience, as operators who have scaled a company in this decade. Our knowledge is fresh and applicable, not outdated.

Founder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company

Iceland, a country of just 332,000 people, managed to qualify among the 32 teams for FIFA. In contrast, India, with its billion-plus population, was nowhere in the picture. It made me realize that someone has to initiate change. While it's not a single person's job, someone needs to make a start. I firmly believe that beyond a certain point, money should serve society.

Founder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company

The wisdom I've gathered over the years taught me to seek out individuals who have a sense of reverence towards the job at hand. Rather than recruiting someone who assumes they've mastered it all, we seek those who regard their roles with awe. My experience has shown me the importance of hiring problem solvers and builders, not just those who impose pre-established templates.

Founder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company

I'm genuinely convinced that the upcoming decade will be the era of India as a product nation. This presents a tremendous opportunity for India, and you might wonder why now? Broadly, it's a confluence of a few factors. First, the global demand driven by digital transformation isn't limited to Fortune 500 companies. We're discussing the Fortune 5 million here – from a small-scale apparel retailer, a neighbourhood restaurant to a colossal multinational, they all need to adopt technology.

Founder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company

If someone consistently films artillery strikes from their home, not only can we geolocate where the strikes are occurring, but we can also pinpoint the filmer's residence. If an unfriendly state actor would rather not have such footage made public, they could easily direct their artillery towards the identified filming location. This situation underscores the importance of witness protection.

Founder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network

What we managed to do was to bring these people together. I soon realized that human rights advocates, arms experts, and policy makers, despite their different fields, were all driven by the same curiosity and thirst for more information, each bringing their unique perspective to the table.

Founder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network

Open-source evidence is essentially public information available to anyone and can be traced back to its original source. We've always maintained transparency in our methodologies and the step-by-step processes we employ to validate an image or investigate. Thus, our work can be reverse engineered. If there are any flaws in our methodology, they're readily apparent.

Founder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network

For instance, while AI can generate images that appear real, it cannot create convincing backgrounds that can be geolocated, since they do not correspond to actual places.

Founder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network

This access has significantly altered what individuals and communities can accomplish, challenging traditional power dynamics. It's essentially a democratic revolution, wresting control from the conventional gatekeepers like intelligence agencies and the media.

Founder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network

From around 2007 onwards, a new era dawned, marked by the widespread adoption of smartphones, essentially equipping every person with a sensor device. In tandem, social media platforms proliferated, facilitating incessant information sharing. Concurrently, Google services like Earth and Street View began to provide unprecedented access to geospatial data, granting us both the means and the method to verify a plethora of information.

Founder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network

Two major themes emerged: How quickly do they decide whether they want to invest? How fast do they decide if they like the entrepreneur? The answer to both is often within a matter of seconds. First impressions are key.

Co-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google

Out of all the startups that approach investors, less than one percent will secure funding. If you don't grasp this reality, you'll struggle to successfully raise capital. It's a critical point. Many first-time entrepreneurs don't comprehend this 1% ratio, but it's not about them—it's about the investors' selection process.

Co-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google

I'll start by emphasizing that this will be a long journey. Think of fundraising as refueling your car for the trip. It's essential – you can't undertake the journey without fuel. But that's all it is: fuel. It isn't the objective of your journey.

Co-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google

I would argue that it's essential to set growth aside and prioritise achieving product-market fit. The logic behind this is straightforward: if you manage to attain product-market fit, you'll thrive, but if you fail, your venture will falter. It's that simple.

Co-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google

Consider a significant issue, something genuinely worth addressing, a problem whose solution would make the world a better place. The subsequent step is to identify who has this problem. If you find yourself to be the sole bearer of this issue, consulting a therapist might be a quicker and less expensive option than launching a startup.

Co-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google