“People never learn anything by being told, they have to find out for themselves.”
― Paulo Coelho, Veronika Decides to Die
Experience forms an integral component in the formula of success for any management student. Summer internships form the first step of that experience that will eventually go on to become the foundation of a life-long vocation.
We are all cocooned in a cozy life until we choose to step out in the real world. Internships are all about coming as close to the edge of your protected dome and prepare for what stands outside. It is demanding and a lot scary but the right internship can make all the difference in choosing the work domain that you would want to dredge in for the rest of your life. With Internship Diaries, we bring to you the ground realities and experiences of the current crop of MBA students at DoMS, IIT Roorkee during their summer internship this past summer.
Today we take the journey down internship lane with
Mr. Akash Agrawal and
Mr. Akash Ahlawat. The gentlemen started an entrepreneurial venture ‘
Mechbot Technologies’ at the incubation center in IITR with the vision to revolutionize the way in which people perceive smart cars. They share their experience of being their own bosses in a bid to inspire the generation of new entrepreneurs.
Q. Tell us a little about your startup.
(Answered by Akash Ahlawat)
A. We all are surrounded by smart things, be it a phone, watch, TV, everything is getting smart attached as the additional feature and this transition leading us from a segregated world to a connected world is inevitable. One has to adapt to changing technologies. Earlier, standing in the queue for a simple call was the only way to stay connected, now, on the other hand, it takes a click of a button and we can experience the world in our hands!
Talking about this exact revolutionizing change, can you imagine using a Smart Car? An automobile is indeed much smarter than many other gadgets that we are using today. Yes, you caught it right. The West had already started manufacturing smart automobiles starting from the year 1996. India, however, came up with OBD (On-Board-Diagnostic) Port by 2009. This port can be used to enter a car as it links all the ECUs at a junction. We are developing a product that can offer customer additional functionalities than the ones that are already being offered by OEMs.
Q. Why did you choose to go the entrepreneurial route rather than the traditional?
(Answered by Akash Agrawal)
A. A number of reasons were melted in to mould the decision of choosing this particular route. You have full control for your destiny
and being able to master your own business was one of the major contributing factors. The added perks include flexible work timings, office locations, setting one’s own deadlines and having the success or failure depending on your own working style. Also, startups like Flipkart and Paytm are always a contributing factor fascinate you and provide you with all the motivation to give you the push in this direction.
Q. What direct pros and cons have you seen till date in your work environment? Can you draw a comparison with the traditional jobs?
(Answered by Akash Ahlawat)
A. The major difference that we were able to figure out up till now is a widespread of multiple domains in the work. You can’t stick to just a single domain. You would need to have flair in every sector of the market. One would have to be fluent in Marketing, Operations, Finance and even HR! While only you would be accountable for a set of assigned duties in the traditional job system, a startup would push you to make the correct decisions every time since one wrong move would lead to a disaster in the reputation of the brand that one is creating. A traditional work job has a fixed number of working hours whereas in a startup are not set to a particular limit, the more effort you would put in, the more blooming your product would get. Results would always be proportional to your endeavour.
The only con in a startup, according to me, is a failure. Failing after years and years of hard work would leave you gobsmacked at the end. Ending up with nothing after years of consecrated effort is the biggest con of this charming career.
However, one would learn a lot in a startup.
Q. What is TIDES?
(Answered by Akash Agrawal)
A. Technology Incubation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (TIEDS) promotes innovation and entrepreneurship at IITR. To accomplish its goal TIEDS runs and manages a business incubator called ‘Technology Innovation & Development of Entrepreneurship Support’, popularly known as TIDES.
The principal objectives of TIDES are to create a conducive environment for entrepreneurship, facilitate, improve, train and support creative thinking, idea generation and inventions. It offers you infrastructural support, mentorship from a pool of mentors with high credentials and all the requisite assistance that one would need to sail through.
If you have an idea that can you think can make a difference in someone’s life and if you have the desire to be the master of your own terms, TIDES is the place to be! It would give your entrepreneurial dreams wings. One has to be a part of IIT Roorkee to get incubation support from TIDES.
Q. Who's on your team?
(Answered by Akash Agrawal)
A. We are a team of seven, all from IIT Roorkee. Three from Computer Science, two from Electronics and Communication and both of us, are from a Management background with engineering specialization in Mechanical and IT respectively.
Q. Where do you see it heading in the short and long run?
(Answered by Akash Ahlawat)
A. We are currently in the initial stage and are still developing a prototype. The Indian market is evolving at a good pace. We are embracing the new technology leading to a connected world. Such an environment would definitely prove to be advantageous for our startup.
Commenting on the future objectives, we would try to bring everything on the table, the rest would be left on the consumers to decide if our product is a success or not. We do hope for the best.
Q. How has been your overall experience?
(Answered by Akash Agrawal)
A. It has been great! The best part of working in a startup is the number of new things that you get to learn. Meeting new people, addressing new problems, confronting new challenges and extending you in every domain instead of sticking in one are the best parts. One gets to learn so much, it’s just fascinating, the amount of knowledge that gets interchanged between so many brilliant minds daily.
Q. What is the biggest challenge you have faced/anticipate in the future and how did you handle it/are preparing for it?
A. Competition is the biggest challenge. No player boasts monopoly in the market. We all are threatened by the continuous entry of new players. Also, technology moves at an incredibly fast pace and keeping up with the changes can be a herculean task.
The best way to tackle a challenge of such caliber is to bring something new to the table each time. One has to be ultra-focused and strive for innovation in every move. We believe to make a product that goes ahead of time and offers true value to its customers.
Q. What advice would you like to give to budding entrepreneurs?
A. “Hit the ground running every morning. There is no goal too far if you put in the required dedication and hard work.”- Akash Agrawal
“Always be prepared for the unexpected. Nothing can derail a business more than a fixed plan.”- Akash Ahlawat
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About the Author:
Neelanjana Verma (MBA, First Year - Coordinator, IAR)
On a mission to spread smiles, Neelanjana is a citizen of two worlds. From travelling through the forbidden forest with Rowling to going on a pilgrimage with Coelho, she finds inspiration in her adopted world compatriots and aims to learn all she can.
Shwetank Saxena (MBA, Second Year - Editor, Domination)
Eyeing the horizon for inspiration, Shwetank inevitably finds himself on the road riding to the edge. A poet at heart, he always makes sure that he has the last word.