Silver lining of the cloud

We are among a few venture funds in the country that have invested in the the hypothesis of product companies from India. India has  produced big companies in the services sector in the last 15 years. It is this growth that I believe will become the bedrock on which the next wave will rise. Products from India for the global market.
Products not just in the software domain, but also hardware. Companies like Perfint Healtcare and Forus Healthcare are testimony to the fact that we are capable of building effective products in tough domains such as medical devices.
I was at the Amazon Web Services event last week both in Chennai and Bangalore. The new energy there is very difficult to miss. Entrepreneurs who are taking on this new challenge of building software on the cloud not just for domestic consumption but for global markets . IDC estimates the Indian cloud market to be in the region of $535 million in 2011, with a growth of more than 70% expected for 2012 and almost 50% growth forecast for the next three years. This is definitely a growing market, but I believe that as a cloud based company the world is your market. It is very important for the company to reach out to global customers. To have a few global customers will help in validating the product and more importantly help you understand better the kind of roadmap the product should have going forward. This is why I believe that cloud startups should also look at how they can build an exposure into the developed markets.
This is the beginning and the road is long, and most companies I met are only just starting up. The cloud is a leveller of sorts and we are looking at a very exciting phase which will see the next set of big companies this time in the product domain being built out of India.

Humanities in MBA courses

When I was growing up it was important to take either the Math or the science stream. Even as you progress in your career and want to get into a B school it is your math and quants that are tested to see if you are worthy of joining the school or not. Once you get in, it is amazing to note the emphasis on quants again , its all about number crunching they say. Do not get me wrong this is an important domain to understand.
Now, having spent about a decade in the corporate world one thing I have come to understand is that nothing is accomplished alone, collaboration is the key and  it is relationships that drive businesses.  Be it your customers, peers, subordinates or your bosses it is building strong relationships that drive success.
So how many subjects in humanities did I take in my B school. Zilch.... I am of the opinion that if you are planning to become a leader or a manager it is mandatory for you to take a few courses in humanities. To understand how to build relationships, nurture and maintain relationships is a very important aspect of a manager or a leader.
It is the responsibility of these schools to emphasise the importance of understanding the softer aspects in becoming a good leader along with building your ability to crunch numbers. Number crunching is a skill that can be picked up but building relationships is an art...you better invest in that very early in your career.

Education is a function of demand too

I came across this video on education by Ken Robinson on our education system and i have been thinking on it since the last couple of days.
www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kills_creativity.html.

He makes an interesting case on how public education actually kills creativity. In a sense i do agree with him that we need to re-look at our education system as a whole and make changes to the way our children are taught and what they are taught.

Everything in this world is a function of demand. We are in that phase of our life-cycle as humans where there is tremendous pressure to improve productivity, better utilization of resources, better healthcare, reduce poverty, improve living conditions of man in general. This would require an element of social engineering too no doubt, but I would guess science has to play a huge role in helping us deliver more better with less. Incentives are also aligned to these objectives and I would want to believe that why when I was growing up we had to choose either math or science as our path else we were told one would end up with nothing.

Appreciation for liberal arts can only be built on the solid foundation of economic stability. There must be a belief that pursuing them can help bring economic stability to our lives. In this domain you have to be perceived to the best to make a good living. There is no place for an average artist as the demand is little. Compare this to the demand for an average engineer or a doctor and you will see the point i am making. That is why i think while discussing education context becomes very relevant. Fundamentally education must be able to deliver a better job, better livelihood along with teaching how to be better human beings. If in one generation education can deliver this economic stability then the next generation will be able to explore the finer aspects and make that choice to pursue then more confidently.
Interestingly, during the renaissance period there was greater emphasis on music, arts, dance , etc than on math and science. People saw that pursuing liberal arts could take them out of their present conditions.

In my view there is no doubt that the system of education needs to be re-looked, however when making those drastic changes it is important to make sure the context and the purpose is not missed. It must be done to deliver prosperity be it in economic terms or in social terms and the demand for these could differ depending on where and when.

Renounce greatness

One of the many translations of the poem "How to go to the temple of Tao". I have picked a few lines from there.

This in my view is pure Zen....

Speak silently, if speak you must

Like the rock speaking to the trees

and leaves to flowers.

Silence is the sweetest of voices and

nothingness has the fairest of colours

Let none see you coming

and none, going

No pride; You and not even formed

No anger; Not even dust is at your command

No sorrow: it does not alter anything

Renounce greatness, there is no other way to be great.

The soft shall survive the hard,

Like the tongue that survives the teeth.

Only the one who does nothing can do everything

Go, the unmade idol.

awaits you.