“No book, no business school, no person can actually teach you business. You have to get your fingers burnt. Get your skin in the game to learn it.” — Akash Deep Singhal, Co-Founder & CEO at OneLXP by illumnus®
Summary
Akash Singhal, CEO of Illumnus, discusses challenges in scalability, hiring, and the innovative approach to transforming education through their platform.
Highlights:
Akash shares insights on challenges faced in scaling the ed-tech startup.
illumnus aims to centralize and simplify education management for schools.
The platform has a growing client base of over 130 schools worldwide.
Crowdfunding was chosen for validation and community building, not just funding.
The product is user-friendly, requiring minimal setup for schools.
Future goals include integrating AI to enhance personalized learning.
Travel and balance are vital for sustaining entrepreneurship.
Key Insights:
Challenges in Hiring: The struggle to find affordable and skilled DevOps professionals is a significant challenge for startups in the tech space. This reflects broader industry trends in talent scarcity.
Importance of Community Validation: Choosing crowdfunding over traditional VC funding emphasizes the value of community support and validation for the product, suggesting a shift in how startups can gauge market interest.
Centralized Education Management: illumnus addresses gaps in traditional education systems by offering a comprehensive platform that connects teachers, students, and parents, showcasing a need for integration in educational tools.
Global Reach and Impact: The diverse client base illustrates the platform’s adaptability and relevance in various markets, highlighting a potential for expansion in underdeveloped regions.
AI Integration for Personalization: Future plans to incorporate AI into the platform can significantly enhance user experience by providing tailored educational resources based on individual student needs.
Work-Life Balance: Akash emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal passions, such as travel, to prevent burnout in the demanding startup environment, underlining the need for holistic well-being.
Sustainable Growth Approach: The focus on starting small and gradually scaling reflects a strategic approach that prioritizes quality and impact over rapid expansion, aligning with sustainable business practices.
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