Entrepreneurship Poem by Nadir Godrej

Dear Members:

It is my pleasure to share with you the latest poem of Nadir Godrej on the subject of Entrepreneurship. Nadir is also an investor and Member of the LocalCircles Advisory Board and recited this poem
during the week at an Investors forum in Mumbai.

Entrepreneurship in India
By Nadir Godrej
22nd November 2013

India's future seemed very bright
For several years we saw the sight
Of GDP growing faster than eight
Per cent. But all the same of late
We see our earlier heady rate
Has suddenly started to abate.
Does this mean it's the end
Of the demographic dividend?
The answer's an emphatic nope!
We should still have cause for hope.
It's true our youthful population
Can be an asset for our nation
But only if they're well deployed.
How do we get them all employed?
While rural life has its charms
Workers now are leaving farms.
Productivity's rising fast
Which means that our growth will last
But still to find jobs for all
We can't have our growth rate fall.
And that is why for our nation
We need much more innovation.
Established business can innovate
But frankly one would have to state
That what they do may not be great
And at an incremental rate.
For breakthroughs therefore what we need
Is start-ups that can sow the seed.
But start-ups always need to grow.
For growth they need a steady flow
Of capital and good advice.
A well oiled system would be nice
For start-ups to get enough of both
And thus ensure our nation's growth.
Before start-ups come of age
They have to grow through every stage.
If incubation's well begun
We can safely say the task's half done.
And that is why we're very sure
We will need many more
Incubators in our nation.
There is a recent estimation
In a planning commission report,
Where thousand is the number sought.
In order to achieve this goal
The private sector should play a role
As government can't do it all.
But the framework has to be their call.
It's unfortunate that our nation
Has a horrid reputation.
Doing business here is hard,
Is written on our calling card!
To government we should say, "Please,
Let us do business here with ease!"
For everyone but even more
For startups. This, they should ensure!
And angels have a role to play
Dispensing cash, showing the way.
They shouldn't be inspired by greed
But act as real friends in need.
Both contacts and advice should flow
Enabling all start-ups to grow.
If further growth we are to see
We need more early stage VC.
We should all feel some guilt
That the ecosystem isn't built.
More start-ups will then survive
And the better ones will surely thrive.
If there are gaps, we need to fill,
With patience should we wait until
The government does what it should
Or instead perhaps we could
Find entrepreneurs, who from scratch
Set up structures that can match
The ecosystems that we find
In nations that leave us behind.
In spite of all our vaunted growth
I certainly would be loath
To say our problems have been solved.
In many ways we have evolved
Yet poverty is still widespread.
But if we chose to look ahead
Business plans can be found
That both do good and are sound.
We can agree that it's a fact
Good investment can impact
Society. We should be learning
How to help while we're earning.
Impact investment is the way
For all of us to save the day.
Now there are those who think it nice
That we do good through sacrifice.
Somehow, I think, if we are smart
We can devise the finer art
Of solving problems in a way
That doesn't lose but helps to pay.
So please put on your thinking caps.
Exploit all our gaping gaps.
Build solutions that sustain,
While doing good try to gain.
And I am sure that you will find
Prosperity and peace of mind.
The solution for our nation
Lies in much more innovation.
And if you fulfill a real need
You are bound to succeed. more