To be an entrepreneur is the dream of many, but only a few were able to fulfil it. You may have a good concept, which you think is profitable. But, there are also a lot of barriers that can stop you from achieving what you want – the greatest these is capitalization.
It is very difficult to start a business with no ready capital. Only a few were lucky to have enough resources to start their dream business.
Another barrier is people. Most who want to establish businesses are lacking the necessary human resources to execute the needed steps. Apart from the idea and funds, if you do not have enough people to provide the skills – materializing a business is also impossible. The idea and funds are very important; but the skill to support or to propagate the idea is equally significant.
However, with the flourishing concept of Technopreneurship, these problems are apparently becoming outdated. The marriage of technology and entrepreneurship is breaking many myths especially when it comes to establishing a business. It encourages many to establish their own start-ups; these people are now referred to as Technopreneurs. Alternatively, these are those who apply technology and innovation as the core of their business model.
Start-ups are small, newly founded companies, which aim to grow fast. The trend became popular after the success of numerous start-up companies. With the objective of starting small but growing up fast, start-ups had become the favourite of many investors.
The lower initial capitalization and higher potential return on investment attracted venture capitalists and angel investors who fund these ideas. As a probable Tenchopreneur, all you need to do is come up with a brilliant idea that addresses a compelling need. Capitalization is therefore no longer a problem.
How about people and skills? Well, if you think you can work with others, which is surely important in running a business, the original founder/owner can have co-founders. Co-founders are those who are involved in the cultivation of the start-up.
In the Philippines, Technopreneurship is still in phase of onset. Filipinos are just starting to appreciate the advantages which technology brings to businesses especially in the initial phase. This is what incubators also do. They give business support and services to start ups throughout its initial stage until its able to stand on its own. Accelerators then come in to help the company sustain its existence long term.
Having the right entrepreneurial tools and the entrepreneurial attitude will definitely help aspiring entrepreneurs nowadays to be big in their chosen fields.
Bottomline: As long as you have a brilliant idea that can address a compelling need, MATERIALIZE it!
Another obstacle that should be addressed is the propagation of knowledge. Only a few knew that there are lot of opportunities out there that they can capitalize. Many are clueless that technopreneurship exists. Filipinos should be informed that through combining technology and entrepreneurship, we could lessen the basic problems of establishing businesses.
To further disseminate information, let me just share the following entities that can offer a platform for technopreneurship:
Ateneo
Java Wireless Competency Center: http://ajwcc.ateneo.edu/
Developers
Connect: http://devcon.ph/
DOST(Information
and Technology Office): http://www.trc.dost.gov.ph/
SeedAsia:
http://seedasia.org/
Philippine
Development Foundation: http://phildev.org
Ideaspace
Foundation: http://ideaspace.ph/index.html
DOST-UP
Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship: http://www.enterprise.upd.edu.ph/
Google
Enterprise
Microsoft
Philippines