Reviewed
by ASIF ANWAR ALIG
Startup
Capitals: Discovering the Global Hotspots of Innovation, by Zafar Anjum, Random
House India, Gurgaon – 122002, Year2014, 261pp, Indian Rupees499, Hard.
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doesn’t matter how scholarly business themed books are, most often they fail to
engage the common readers. Written for specific groups they hardly attract the general
masses. Startup Capitals by Zafar Anjum is an exceptional one in
business genre that defies such dogmas by engaging the readers beyond business
fraternity. Themed on the global startup scenes it insightfully transforms into
a precise travelogue to espouse the readers to tour to world’s business hubs. Readers
learn about such places as if they virtually tour in those destinations.
Bringing
current picture of fast changing trends in the startups worldwide, this book attempts
to predict the unpredictable. None had imagined decades ago how Internet would redefine
our communication approaches and systems. Why world’s cities are seen in individualistic
outlook instead of their nationalist identities? Communication gaps have
narrowed down sharply.
Arranging
a meeting is possible anywhere and everywhere today without the actual presence
of participants. Isn’t it a new renaissance? Technological advancements directly
impact trade and business activities. Anjum points out how world’s 5th
largest hotel chain operates through a website, so does he discuss about several
other notable business ventures.
This
book brings the picture of Asian giants’ business acumen like China emerging
into world’s factory in the capacity of global manufacturing hub. Similarly, Chinese
counterpart, India became world’s largest outsourcing hub within few decades. Startups
including university-license based intellectual properties to the technology
firm supported venture capitals are capable for the creation of required job
markets. ‘Digital first business’ concepts in the retail and manufacturing
sectors are key elements of economic boosts on worldwide levels.
Innovative
ideas cater to wider clientele without restriction of countries concerned. Technological
innovations and breakthroughs are crucial to translate the ideas into realities
which global startups are eagerly adopting nowadays.
Globally
connected startup capitals paved the way for pioneering business solutions. Startup
capital cities have already narrowed down the gaps. They are projected taller
than the nations they represent in the current business environments. Silicon
Valley in the USA is pathfinder for rest. New York became second successful global
startup capital. China’s Beijing developed ample potentiality for the most
noticeable startups.
Until
recently China was taken for granted due to its ‘culture of imitation’ but such
myths have already vanished today, stresses Anjum while projecting the successful
Chinese startups. This country came into global limelight through Alibaba, Huawei,
Baidu, Tencent and Xiaomi et al that assimilated innovation for their global
forays.
China
became hottest Asian startup destination with its hundreds of thousands of startups
that burgeon in the Beijing and Shanghai cities. Chinese competitor India didn’t
lag behind either. Bangalore is denoted with country’s Silicon Valley and it welcomed
several startups within few years. Bangalore startups have become market leaders
with their worldwide identities. ‘Other Asian giant Singapore ranks 17 among world’s
top 20 innovation ecosystems,’ Global Startup Ecosystem Index report by Startup
Genome and Telefonica points out.
Sydney
and Melbourne maintain 12th and 18th ranks respectively
while Bangalore is at 19th global rank. Likewise, Tokyo and Brazil’s
strongest ecosystem Sao Paulo startup capitals are the two leading markets.
Tel
Aviv in Israel boasts with its highest density of startups on the global scale whose
total 3,850 startups turn this country into a world leader. Anjum stresses that
it couldn’t be possible without unique approach of Israelis who consider ‘entrepreneurship
mainstream career for them’ in Israel.
Overviewing
European nations, this book shows Berlin at 2nd position after
London city. Such scenario became possible after the fall of Berlin Wall in
1989 which finally reunified Germany. It also brought new political
farsightedness to boost its trade and economy. Its strategic trade and business
plans proved helpful for easy trade comebacks in this region besides emergence
of various startups.
The
Startup Ecosystem Report 2012 highlighted
London’s position as world’s 7th most influential startup ecosystem after
Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, Los Angles, Seattle, New York and Boston. Such
descriptions enrich first part of this book through the brainstorming explanation
of ten high ranking global startups.
Second
part of this book has cursory details of ten largest global startup ecosystems including
Los Angles and Boston to Toronto identified as biggest in Canada. The author highlights
prospects, limitations and future of such global destinations for profitable business
viabilities. Canada comes at top ten in the global startups. Vancouver is 2nd
and Waterloo 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the Canadian national
ranking. Similarly, Paris and Moscow rank at 9th and 14th
amongst the Global Startup Ecosystem Indexes respectively. Chile’s Santiago
ranks 20th position globally. Sydney is largest in Australian startup
ecosystems while Melbourne ranks 2nd largest national startup.
Third
part of this book appeals even common readers. It profiles world’s leading startup
tycoons. Sketches are of Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) founder
president in USA, Jack Dangermond; China’s founder CEO of Alibaba, Jack Ma;
Malaysia’s iGene founder CEO, Matt Chandran; Portugal’s Paulo Rosado, founder
CEO of OutSystems; Singapore’s Suresh Shankar, CEO of Crayon Data; CEO of
Acronics, Serguei Beloussov in Singapore & Russia; CEO of TrustSphere in
New York & Singapore, Manish Goyal; Denmark’s CEO of Universal Robots,
Enrico Krog Iverson; CEO of Ventes in Singapore, Basheer Cassim; Head of Singapore’s
Infocomm Investments Pte Ltd (IIPL), Dr. Alex Lin in Singapore and Silicon Valley’s Somesh Dash at
Institutional Venture Partners (IVP) are significant one on ones of author with
the crème de la crèmes that have been pedantically summed in this book. They had
humble beginnings but became world’s pioneering startup strategists over the
period.
By
presenting the snapshots of ten worldwide startup capitals that literally redefine
global boundaries beyond any country-based restriction this book foresees the fortunes
of select echoes in the startup ecosystem. This highly engaging travelogue, instead
of dry business book, narrates author’s interactions with the world’s leading startup
strategists. It also has thorough overview of the cities as global startup hubs.
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| Print Edition of Mosaic, Ceylon Today, Colombo |
Global
businesses welcome countless positive transformations due to regular advancements
in the technology sector. Drastic changes are occurring in the business sector
nowadays. Some of them might look contradictory but they remain empowering. How
a taxi app posed a serious threat to world’s largest taxi companies or the economies
literally disrupting due to Bitcoin or M-Pesa’s presence?
This
book examines the panorama of lucrative incredible business ventures which applied
many strategies to attain unpredictable successes. It might seem unbelievable
but the fact is that world’s largest bookstore owns no physical bookstore or the
biggest taxi company doesn’t own any taxi. World’s leading mobile company
doesn’t own any factory but it maintains its monopoly on the global market. Innovative
strategies change business concepts as pathfinders for future startups.
The author projects pros and cons of startups from
infrastructure needs to government supports they receive in the form of funding
to talent acquisitions and impromptu challenges they often face. Wide spectrum
of information turns this book a handy guide for future startup advocators. They
can search in it much to evaluate caveats to develop their self-confidence for a
new dawn.
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