Access, sales & scenarios

Accelerators, mentors, and selling to government and enterprise.

What founders use for access, sales & scenarios, ranked by how many answers lean on it.

  1. This is the mechanics behind our answer: a global investor cannot warm-intro someone they have never heard of, so you make... Failory Article · 18 min read How to Build in Public as a Founder (+20 Examples) Failory
  2. An Indian founder's actual sequenced roadmap, not theory: stay lean in India (2 to 3 founders, burn under 3,000 dollars a... Inc42 Article · 8 min read A Playbook For Indian Founders Building Global Businesses Pranay Srinivasan
  3. This is the anatomy of the ask that actually gets answered in an alumni channel. Iskold, a founder and now VC, hands you the... Startup Hacks Article · 7 min read How to ask me (and others) for an intro Alex Iskold
  4. The clearest breakdown of how the best-run alumni network on earth actually delivers hires, customers, investor intros, and... Horizon Labs Article · 12 min read How Bookface (YC) Helps Early-Stage Founders Thrive Horizon Labs
  5. This is the discipline that keeps an alumni network from going cold: show up for other people first. Ranadive distills Adam... Medium Article · 9 min read Be a Giver: Think of Others and Get Ahead Ameet Ranadive
  6. This is the Indian founder's version of the same warning, with names attached. It states plainly that chasing celebrity mentors... Inc42 Article · 10 min read How The Right Mentoring Can Boost Startup Success Inc42 Staff

The questions

Incubators, accelerators & competitions 21

Get in, get funded, get connected.

Should I join an incubator or an accelerator, and which one? 3 → My college has an E-Cell and an incubator, how do I actually use them? 2 → Which incubators and accelerators give grant money, not just space and mentorship? 4 → How do I get into YC or a top accelerator, what do they actually look for? 3 → Is the equity an accelerator takes worth it? 3 → All 21 questions in Incubators, accelerators & competitions →
Selling to government 21

GeM, tenders, and the public-sector playbook.

How do I actually sell to the government, where do I find the buyers? 3 → What is GeM and how do I get my product listed on it? 2 → How do government tenders and procurement actually work for a tiny startup? 3 → Do I need certifications or empanelment to sell to a ministry? 2 → I'm a DPIIT-recognised startup, what procurement relaxations do I actually get? 3 → All 21 questions in Selling to government →
Selling to enterprises (B2B) 21

Land your first big logo.

How do I land my first enterprise customer when nobody has heard of us? 3 → How long is a B2B sales cycle and how do I not run out of money waiting? 3 → Who do I actually sell to inside a big company, and how do I find the decision-maker? 3 → They want a free pilot, should I do it? 3 → Should I use design partners, and how do I structure the deal? 3 → All 21 questions in Selling to enterprises (B2B) →
Mentors, advisors & network 21

Find the people who accelerate you.

My network is all corporate colleagues, how do I actually meet founders and investors? 3 → Can I build a serious startup from outside the big startup hubs, or do I have to move to Bangalore? 3 → How do I find a mentor or advisor who will actually help me, not just add a logo to my deck? 2 → How much equity should I give a startup advisor? 1 → How do I actually ask someone to mentor or advise me without it being awkward? 2 → All 21 questions in Mentors, advisors & network →
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →