“Apps – What Not To Do?” described the journey of Ideophone - the Startup with a large vision, several Apps and a platform that targeted commuters, gained 120,000 users, tackled world markets, got a lot of press, but eventually failed. Several key takeaways, questions and tips that are especially relevant to Appbased Startups. 1) Developing the App is the easy part, but is your Startup sufficiently prepared for what comes after? 2) Is your vision bigger than the capabilities of the team? Bite only as much as you can chew. 3) Do you have a business plan? It is important to go through this exercise upfront and push yourself to address critical aspects that impact your business 4) If there is insufficient traction, pivot and pivot early. The last slide read “Make mistakes, but not ours. All the best!”. Well Said!.

1. Apps:What NotTo Do
Presented @Lounge47 28th
. June 2014
sundar@ideophone.in

2. Can apps be business?

3. NO
•
yes

4. NO 7/8
•
yes 1/8

5. a dose of reality

6. •
Global app revenues $25 billion (somebody’s making money for
sure, yaar)
•
50 percent of app revenues are shared between just 25 developers!
•
24 of them are game developers
•
60% are below “app poverty line”
Source: mobiThinking, Distimo, VisionMobile

7. why this kolaveri?

8. Click icon to add picture
Supply-side surplus Photo:The Hindu
•
Zero {entry barrier, variable cost, switching cost} => crowded market
=> No profits for nobody!

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Well, more like this Photo: Nisha Sondhe
•
Low entry barrier, playing for passion, zero money and visibility,
hoping to beTendulkar some day

10. Is there some hope?

11. People don’t pay for apps…

12. Click icon to add picture
But, they do for this. Photo: Italian Business

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And this.

14. Apps with real world fulfilment win!
•
Others go to bin unless they pull off aWhatsapp or an Instagram.

15. The whys and hows

16. Meaningfully
mobile, not
me-too•
Uses the form or
function or
availability
•
Something that can’t
be done on a PC
•
At least for some
people
•
Think camera,
location, SIM card,
payments,
consumption,

17. Suruk GPS based Digital Meter
60,000+ users
across
140 countries
Suruk is a travel companion for auto-rickshaw and taxi commuters.
Helps people in metering their rides, share the driver conduct and find
the optimal route.
Partnering with another company for an on-demand auto-rickshaw
routing solution.
17

18. One Touch SOS Personal security, a touch away!
3800 SOS sent in
40 countries
SOS Nigeria
Accurate location of the user is sent to pre-
defined contacts as an SMS in case of distress.
SOS as a subscription service integrated with
police, fire, and ambulance control rooms in
Nigeria
Partners
Nigerian Police
18

19. Kopa Easy ride sharing for events
App to find people attending events and
share rides with them.
Social network integration
Lead generation for events
Partnered events
Product Conclave
19

20. Partner
Pyka Journey aware wakeup alarm
Cloud telephony system wakes up
passengers in time before their destination.
Pilot tested with Indian Railways
Getting launched as a paid service in
partnership with IRCTC
20

21. Then what went wrong?

22. Bit more than what we could chew!

23. Make mistakes but not ours. All the
best.

24. Click icon to add picture
With
partners in
crime•
Anenth, Sandeep,
Kingsley, Koushik and
yours truly