'Deglamourise the word startup' say experts

Gurgaon: Experts say the Centre's Start-up India initiative is doing wonders. But lay-offs, shutdowns, decreased valuations and slower recruitment raise the question if entrepreneurs have got the arithmetic of the start-up ecosystem right. And entrepreneurs are looking for answers.
Management Development Institute (MDI) on Sunday held a conclave with a panel discussion on 'Start-up in the current environment'.It is one of the many such sessions to be organised by students and alumni of MDI Gurgaon over the next few months. The alumni also hope to form a network to help current students and struggling entrepreneurs. "The programme is driven by alumni," said Professor Nakul Gupta, coordinator for the entrepreneurship and incubation centre at MDI Gurgaon.
Sunday's session was on why start-ups fail. Panelists included Ranjeet Mehra, director, PHDCCI, Sanjay Vidyarthi, MD, iQor India and Ekaterina Zhilina, founder and MD, Matrioshka. Speakers said entrepreneurs need to come up with new ideas, and highlighted that India does not have many successful product start-ups.
Another important point raised was the need for deglamorising the word "start-up". "We need to contain the glamour with start-ups. Building a company is a difficult job," said Anurag Batra, founder, Exchange for Media Group.