Comments on: Interview with Sameer and Nandini of Morpheus Venture Partners, India’s YCombinator

By: Harish

Harish — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:11:35 +0000

I am happy to know that someone has started this kind of Venture. I recently started a company after working in IT for 10 yrs (8 years in Satyam) and many a times I felt a need for mentor who can support us in our ideas. But I have a question here…how does you guarantee that the ideas you reject will not be shared. May be same ideas are thought by someone else somewhere but till the time I know it I need to take care of it.

@Rohit: I feel even one experience of ‘been there, done that’ should be good enough to help others. It’s always valuable. How much equity you shell out for that is your business decision?

Harish
Karmanya

By: Shripriya

Shripriya — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:26:38 +0000

This is interesting. But… 4-8% is more than a “regular” adviser to a startup would get. Esp. without any investment. Will Morpheus also be providing infrastructure or something to justify the high %?

Also, would it be just the two principals advising? How many companies will they take on?

By: Shiva

Shiva — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:09:27 +0000

Hi,
How can I contact Mr.Sameer regarding our startup.
Thanks

By: sameer guglani

sameer guglani — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:43:40 +0000

@Leo: let’s talk offline, I would keen to understand the TBI model. Drop me a line at sameer AT morpheusventure DOT com

By: Leo

Leo — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:24:22 +0000

@ Sameer : Thanks for the info. Btw, TBI stands for TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS INCUBATOR (setup by Department of Science & Technology, Govt.of India)

By: Sameer Guglani

Sameer Guglani — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:02:42 +0000

@ Leo. morpheus will take stock in the startup startup, from 4-8% of it. Depending on the what stage the startup is in and the value morpheus can add.

PS: What’s TBI?

By: Rohit

Rohit — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:35:22 +0000

@Ashish: I read the entire post. But is that all it takes to be an authority – setting up and selling something? Building a sustainable business, how about it? Scalability? Innovation? Organization building? How many people in the world know Madhouse? I don’t think they have been there, done that. I just wish they had build up on their lucky break (sell out) and started again to build something truly great.

By: Ashish

Ashish — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:03:15 +0000

Leo and others:
I will ask Sameer/Nandini to reply to all of your qns. To set the context, I met Sameer yesterday to discuss their plan (esp. equity stake etc)- but since you have raised the qn (I am glad about it), I will let Sameer reply to this.

@Rohit – Maybe you didn’t read the entire post – the duo sold their co. to seventymm, so they have ‘been there, done that’

-Ashish

By: Leo

Leo — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:26:10 +0000

‘Our primary value add to the startup teams is the advise, mentorship, guidance’…

If so, what’s Morpheus’ interest in new venture which is going to be created ? Is it ‘equity participation’ or smething else ?

After being in a TBI for almost 2 yrs, I can confidently say that Right mentorship and guidance are as much valuable as funding to a startup. But no free lunches..right ?..

So wht’s going to be the range of Morpheus Stake ? (eg: YComb has min 6% stake in all incubatee cmpnies)

@ Ashish: You should hve covered this point in the interview.

By: Madhouse founders starting Morpheus Venture Partners | StartupDunia focuses on Indian startups, Web 2.0, Indian Internet industry and entrepreneurship in India

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:53:43 +0000

[...] has a good QnA with them about their latest [...]

By: Rohit

Rohit — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:05:38 +0000

I think these guys should go and first excel themselves before offering advice and mentoring to fellow entrepreneurs. India is full of cheap advice and mentoring, after all that is our national pass time. Almost anyone who has spent a year at a startup or founded something, how much shitty it might be thinks he is now in a position to advice. With so many people capable of giving good advice, I wonder why aren’t their any great Indian companies yet?

By: Mahesh

Mahesh — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:30:06 +0000

“Teams which are still in idea stage and have not started of as yet.” This truely makes India’s YC

By: morpheus coverage.. « sameer’s blog

morpheus coverage.. « sameer’s blog — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:47:32 +0000

[...] mentoring, Watblog | Couple of leading blogs on Indian startups have covered morpheus: pluggd.in and Watblog [...]