This framework is intended to be used to be presented to the early-stage startups in the form of workshops and interactive sessions, it will include the open lectures and one-on-one interactions with startups. Startups will be also suggested the materials to read and will be provided the tools to apply for their startups. Task completion from their side will be also involved.
It is based on the Go-to-market Strategy framework, designed specifically for early-stage startups building GTM for Indian Market.
Background of the invention
T-Hub is India’s full stack startup ecosystem player. It’s a unique public private partnership between the government of Telangana, three of India’s premier academic institutes - IIIT-H, ISB, and NALSAR, and key private sector leaders.
As a startup engine, T-Hub is nurturing Telangana, leading up to the Indian startup ecosystem via creating programs and partnerships with renowned corporates, investors, mentors, and the academics.
T-Hub is the only full stack startup ecosystem player in India and the world that offers:
- Co-working space
- India’s largest startup incubator (346 incubates)
- Accelerator
- Scaling programs
- India’s largest corporate innovation programs (10 programs)
- India’s first international market access program (5 programs)
T-Hub is the only model where the government is working intensely with the investor and the partner community to fuel innovation and facilitate enterprise.
T-Hub impact: 346 startup incubates, 835 total associated startups, 190 alumni startups, 117 mentors, 376 mentor sessions per month, 23 business support services, 32 community partnerships, 16 events per month, 19 workshops per month, $33,6 Mn (57 startups) funding

raised, 13 startup oriented programs (corporate and international), TBI&COE Certified by DST, which is first of its kind for non-IIT/IIIT/IIM institutes, 14 international partnerships, 32 success stories, 27 VCs visited, 3320 visitors for events and programs.
T-Hub introduced its new LAB 32 Incubation program, a crucial part of our ongoing efforts to make startup journey smoother.
It is a six-month tailored program designed specifically for early stage-startups, who have gained some traction, raised funding or are in the post revenue stage (except research and pharma industry). The ecosystem comprises of the right mix of individuals, organizations, and resources that can help the startup scale in a competitive environment. The first batch of the bi-annual program starts on may 1st, 2018.
• 6-month program with specifically designed playbooks for the Indian context.
• Workshops and seminars by senior executives, CxOs, and serial entrepreneurs
• Participate in International/ National demo days and other competitions
• T-Hub team office hours
Lab 32 is a 6 month long, in-house structured playbooks for early-stage startups. We bring together our in-depth knowledge of the startup ecosystem, strategic corporate partners, negotiated partnerships with numerous service providers, presence of investors, international visibility and dedicated pool of mentors under one program.
Summary of the invention
The invention is the framework for Lab32 Go-to-market Playbook for early-stage startups. The Lab32 Go-to-market Playbook consists of 3 sessions, each lasts 3 hours.
The framework includes 5 elements of metrics which are discussed and analysed throughout the playbook: Vision, Customer-centricity, Operations, Sales, Scale.
The entrepreneur has the ignominy and the onerous task of balancing these elements at the same time, give or take a few instances of shuffling.
Brief description of drawing
There are five main elements of metrics discussed throughout Lab32 Go-to-market Playbook. With the example of GTM from T-Hub these metrics allowed T-Hub to become a cash- flow positive, self- sustaining, ready-to-scale company in two years.

1. What’s the vision of the company?
o Stakeholder expectation management
o What problem are you solving?
o Is the customer going to pay for your solution?
2. Customer-centricity
o Marketing
3. Operations
o Development o Deployment o HR
4. Sales
o Inside o Channel o Direct
5. Scale
o Build your internal framework o Distribution

For better understanding of the framework, let's look at the example of T-Hub as an early-stage startup which became a cash-flow positive, self-sustaining, ready-to-scale company in two years.
5 elements
1. What’s the vision of the company?
2. Customer-centricity
3. Operations
4. Sales
5. Scale
The entrepreneur has the ignominy and the onerous task of balancing these elements at the same time, give or take a few instances of shuffling. The OCD (One Common Denominator) of entrepreneurs is always the first alpha sale (B2C, B2B or BG) in “consultative selling”. And this is truly fun. The first transaction is pure bliss, as it validates the initial MVPness of the startup and the hustle of the entrepreneur.
What’s the vision of the company?
Somewhere in the midst of the first year, the trick is to not lose focus on the ”why”. The primary motive behind our existence was a forward-thinking state government. The operating stakeholders had one motive - to build an ecosystem.
The question then is how do you solve a complex large problem? All entrepreneurs are constantly faced with the need to solve everything, the need to act, and constantly react. The trick lies in a far-reaching vision. Then taking a step back, and disassembling it into finite goals, setting up a set of challenges that, when added up, make up the whole solution. The easier said than done, the all-important last ask: Focus. The focus to not get derailed. The focus to constantly say no, if it doesn’t align with the vision. And the focus to stay within the guardrails. The vision that we chased was to build a top 10 startup destination globally. Which allowed us to be epochal when the question asked by all had a similar ring to it - how much funding have our startups raised- this is a tarnished thoroughbred VC view of the ecosystem.
Contrary to what the perception of the market was, we stayed true to our course. Every single programme we’ve run has been a significant yet consistent product offering. Our corporate innovation accelerators have attracted startups from Israel, the US, and different cities of India. The international programmes we’ve run have allowed for startups from four different continents to explore India as a new market. This allowed us to be in a position to have a collective valuation of our start-ups. This is where our marketing channels have maintained keel on the customer-centricity.

Customer-centricity
The corporates and industrial partners we work with are our true customers. Without a scalable scheme, it’s hard to juggle the sales juggernaut when released.
True to the testament of building right by design, we built a robust information sciences team that releases products on our platforms that allow a massive amount of automation. The admin, procurement, and accounts team run like well-oiled machinery, and hammers home guardrails through policies and SoPs.
Sales
The CEO is the first and last salesperson of the company. He is the first one, out of the door, selling to customers, pitching to investors, marketing to partners, and moving with contemporaries. He is also the last person to shut shop when things go south. I’ve handled both those doors. The takeaway for tech entrepreneurs is to start embracing sales very quickly or embrace one who can.
Operations
The framework you put together at this point needs to withstand tests of transient working capital requirements and steady-state constant distribution. The largest challenge at this point will be cash-flow management. Specifically, monthly cash-flow management - simply because the largest fixed costs for tech startups will always be salaries.
Scale
The best startups are the ones who can get past the Indian valley of death. This might be a desi problem from all I can fathom: The startup hits a GMV of Rs 4-5 lakh a month in the consumer space, or does a Rs 1 crore annual turnover in the enterprise space. Then falls into the trap of not being able to scale to a company that clocks Rs 1 crore or Rs 10 crore correspondingly. I can’t think of startups in the western hemisphere that have crossed the proverbial chasm and then stumbled.
The greatest product strategy is when the CEO builds from bottom-up and takes it to market. The worst GTM strategy is when the CEO delegates from top-down and takes his foot off the product strategy.

We claim,
1. Multidimensional, 5 Elements framework for Lab32 Go-to-market Playbook, which is sector agnostic, specific to India and early-stage startups.
2. We also claim a Multidimensional, 5 elements framework for Lab32 Go-to-market Playbook, which is outcome-based, interactive and allows to be practically used by an early-stage startup to build GTM Strategy.
3. We claim the uniqueness of the Lab32 Go-to-market Playbook which takes into factor 5 Elements of metrics - Vision; Cusomer-Centricity; Operations; Sales; Scale.