The document provides advice for technical founders on starting and growing a global company from an idea. It discusses the author's career path in technology and entrepreneurship. Key pieces of advice include finding a problem to solve through innovation, determining if there is a market need and how to execute, asking for funding only when metrics show customer validation, focusing on business fundamentals, and continuing to adapt and improve. The overall message is that with the right idea, team, execution, and drive to succeed, a tech founder can build a meaningful global company.
How Technical People Can Start and Grow a Meaningful Global Company
1. From an Idea to a Global
successful company
how technical people with a novel idea
can start and grow a meaningful
global company!
Sotiris Karagiannis
IT Architect
@skaragiannis
http://linkedin.com/in/karagiannis
2. Who am I? A Tech Visionary
with a life timeline full of changes between Education, Innovation, Entrepreneurship
1970’s Moon, Robot Toys, Air Models, Electronics, Boards, Mini Computers, Games
1980’s
2000
1980’s Computers, Uni (Applied Math), Software, Artificial Intelligence Edinburgh
1990’s
..1990’s ISP in N. Greece, Internet Software, Web Apps, Infrastructure, Cloud ,Future?
3. My Career Path
My career path is full of changes in a continuous
search for knowledge, innovation,
entrepreneurship and real market value in the
ICT industry (help Businesses succeed)
But whatever I did, I NEVER stopped LOVING
what I did.
I was many times a self starter (a Serial
Entrepreneur) and I was never settled with
what I had (in terms of my everyday life).
Old times were different (location, education,
entrepreneurship, global reach, market etc).
Now we live in a different world.
4. The Basics
Why you do ICT (do you love it) ?
Why you are here ?
What problems do you want to solve?
Are you afraid of failure?
Do you take risks (calculated or other)?
Do you want to change the World ?
5. The Idea
You are solving a problem
You know what it takes to solve it
You wish to try and don’t mind to fail
Your life is depended on it ?
Is it going to change the world?
6. Why should anyone care ?
Is there a market for your product?
Who else is thinking that (globally)?
Can you execute (who else is executing)?
What is the value of it (money talk)?
Do customers care (metrics) ?
What do you need to do it?
7. Questions / Considerations
4 the TEAM
Sole Founder / cofounders?
Location ?
Funding ? Do you know how much
you need ?
Intellectual protection (secret sauce)!!
Business Plan / 3 Year Budget/B.Plan
8. What People expect from U
Personality
Team Play
Efficiency
Attitude
Flexibility
9. Fundraising
Customer Validation (metrics again)?
Pilots / Commitments in EN speaking
countries?
Shares / Equity / Advisors etc
Legal !!
Mentoring / coaching
10. Take Off
Product sales
Marketing
Continuous funding rounds
Success
Exit !!!
11. Final Advise
Make more effort than
is expected of you.
Adapt to the rapid
changes
Think BUSINESS !!
Stay Hungry Stay Foolish