Flight of the Unicorns

Book excerpt: The years 2015 and 2016 were watershed years in the history of the Indian startup ecosystem. Not only did the word 'startup' enter common parlance as large sums of money were poured in, several firms also achieved the fabled 'unicorn' status of billion-dollar valuation. However, immediately afterwards, the exuberance disappeared as the bubble burst and the very viability of these celebrated ventures came into question. And with it, began a new era. In Flight of the Unicorns, Soum Paul takes a deep dive into the trajectory of Indian startups in the recent past and explores the trials and tribulations of starting up. Through the voices of many innovators, entrepreneurs and investors, he studies the patterns in successes and parallels from other emerging markets. He builds on theories around what works and what doesn't, and paints a vision for the future of startups in this part of the world.