We’re all familiar with stand-up comedy — but here’s a “start-up comedy” that’s going viral.
Styled like a stand-up routine, this hilarious take on India vs China’s startup culture is packed with punchlines and painful truths. Let’s dive into the details.
An interesting post is circulating on LinkedIn about how the approach of China and India differs when it comes to nurturing start-up companies.
It highlights the stark contrast between the two nations and sheds light on why China has surged ahead, while India still struggles in this space.
This discussion emerged following Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent comment on Indian start-ups. He noted that Indian entrepreneurs are focusing more on food delivery services rather than breakthrough technologies like robotics and AI.
Here’s the striking content from the viral post: "Indian founders aren't lazy—they're just busy surviving India's start-up environment, which feels more like a scene out of Final Destination."
Let me explain:
1. You say, ‘I want to start a company.’
China: “Congratulations! Here's a grant, a mentor, a workspace, and a team of caffeinated engineers.”
India: “Great! First, apply for DIN, DSC, PAN, TAN, then fill Form SPICe+, attach a rent agreement, electricity bill, your mother’s horoscope, and a photo with today’s newspaper.”
2. You raise funding.
China: “The government co-invests. They even throw a party. CCTV calls you a ‘tech warrior’.”
India: “Angel Tax. Income Tax officer says, ‘Who gave you this money? It will be taxed.’”
3. You want to import a chip.
China: “Express lane. Zero duty. AI-enhanced tracking. Delivered before lunch.”
India: “Sir, what is this? Dangerous item? Kindly seek approval from the Department of Explosives, Forest Ministry, and your local RWA.”
4. You explain AI to a government official.
China: “Amazing! Can we use it for traffic, healthcare, and social scoring?”
India: “Beta, is this like ChatGPT? Can it design my daughter’s wedding invite?”
5. You build a working prototype.
China: Demoed to the PLA, deployed at the border next week.
India: “You used a drone? FIR filed. Section 188. Violation of Airspace. Jail or ₹10,000 fine—choose your fighter.”
6. You apply for a government tender.
China: You’re shortlisted based on your tech.
India: You’re disqualified because you used Arial instead of Calibri in Annexure D. The tender is won by Sharma Uncle’s cousin’s firm—with a Gmail ID and no website.
7. You finally launch.
China: IPO. Billion-dollar valuation.
India: GST officer arrives: “Sir, you missed filing GSTR-9C. The penalty is only ₹5 lakh. Happy launch!”
Moral of the story is, China gives you a launchpad; whereas, India gives you glitchy government websites, unimaginative bureaucrats, political interference, evil tax officials, punitive policies — and then says, “Beta, best of luck.”
But the Indian founder? Still builds.
The final line is the viral post nails with humor- "...if you can build a start-up in India, you can probably start a democracy in North Korea. That’s how difficult it is".
