I have had the chance to observe startup founders both in the Bay Area and in India over the past 2.5 years. While it’s a small duration, it does seem to me that founders in India are relatively less aware about how startup investing actually works. By this I mean an understanding of the VC math, acceptable investment terms, exit paths, cap tables and other nuts and bolts that have nothing to do with technology stacks, target markets or business models.
If you were to ask an average Joe (or Jai!) founder in India, who’s yet to close a round, anything regarding investment terms beyond pre-money valuation and dilution, there’s high chance that you’d draw a blank.