IT - BPO Exports of India

Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Software-services-exports-rise-29-in-FY08/333411/

• India's software and services exports grew 29 per cent in 2007-08 to record a revenue of $40.4 billion, up from $31.4 billion in the previous year
• The overall IT-BPO industry, including the domestic market, recorded 28 per cent growth to touch $52 billion revenue in FY 2007-08.
• The software and services revenue is expected to grow between 21-24 per cent in the current fiscal, with the export segment foretasted to reach 50 billion dollar.
• The BPO exports clocked 30 per cent increase to touch a revenue of $10.9 billion.
  

Cybercafe Market in India

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Internet_/Cyber_cafes_log_lower_growth_at_20_in_08_Report/articleshow/3233831.cms

According to a CII-IMRB Broadband report, the number of cyber cafes, which was growing at almost 60% in 2004 and 2005, has fallen to almost 20% in 2008. There are 1,80,000 cyber cafes in the country.

According to the CII-IMRB report, the rate of growth in cyber cafes was at its peak in the country at about 85% in 2002. Though it was largely attributable to a small base of about 50,000 cafes in 2003, the growth was still hovering around 60% till 2004. The cyber cafe industry grew at about 57% in 2004. But by 2006 the growth fell to about 20% and it has till now failed to pick up steam.

According to another report by IAMAI, out of the 46 million web users, college and school students account for maximum use of web in the country at 21%. Students are also the maximum users of web in the country through cyber cafes given the high cost of PCs. The internet users have crossed 52 million in 2007-08, according to MAIT.

Not surprisingly, cyber cafes emerge as the largest access point for internet access at 36% followed by home (30%) and office (25%).
 

Mobile Usage Stats

Source: http://www.watblog.com/2008/07/08/indian-mobile-users-talk-more-than-they-text/

GSM SMS Usage

• Jan 2008 - March 2008:  about 26 messages per month
  
• Oct-Dec 2007 - 28
• July-Sept 2007: 32 messages
• April-June 2007: 35 messages
• Oct-Dec 2006: 48 messages
  

CDMA SMS Usage

• Jan-Mar 2007: 24 messages
• Latest Numbers: 16 messages per month
  

Voice Talk time
TRAI’s report tells us that  the usage of GSM subscibers per month per customer has increased to 493 minutes, compared to 463 minutes six months back. ARPU of CDMA operators has fallen from 176 in December 2007 to 159 during Jan-March 2008. The average talk time usage too has fallen from 413 in July-Sep 2007 to 364 during Jan-March 2008.

How to Evaluate a New Product Idea

Source: http://evhead.com/2007/12/how-to-evaluate-new-product-idea.asp

Key Points

• Should be very easy to launch V1.0
• Shouldn't be obviously a great business
• Should be obvious that people will use it
• How much value can it ultimately deliver
• How many people will ultimately use it [Not the most critical requirement though]
• How will people know about your product [Need not be viral]
• How hard will it be to extract money [Need not be obvious upfront]
• Do YOU really want this idea to exist in the world

I will try and analyze a few startups on these parameters and see how well do they perform.

A Moment of Clarity

A Moment of Clarity

David Heinemeier Hansson at Startup School 08

David Heinemeier Hansson, creator of the Ruby on Rails framework and Partner at 37Signals gives insight into creating a profitable startup company.

Even an MBA can do it

Even an MBA can do it