EDC Thursday Session
Topic: Reverse Engineering a Successful Startup
Reverse Engineering a
Successful Startup
How Real Founders Build From Zero
Hi everyone. Today we’ll study how real startups started — not
by dreaming big, but by starting small and smart.
What Is Reverse Engineering?
It's the process of breaking down a We go backwards from their current Instead of imagining ideas, we study
successful product or company to success to their first steps. what actually worked for others.
understand how it was built.
Reverse engineering helps us learn the exact path founders took — not just their success, but their early smart moves.
Why It Matters to Founders
Practical Early Steps Case Study Relevance Founder Mindset
Startups don’t succeed from perfect This mindset helps in NEC/TiE Grad . Helps you think like a founder — not
ideas, but from practical early steps. where early-stage strategy matters. just a student.
Most people guess how startups grow. We’re going to find out the truth.
The TEAM Framework
Letter Meaning What It Answers
T Target Market Who was the first customer?
E Early Product What was their MVP (first version)?
A Acquisition How did they get first users?
M Monetization How did they make money or plan to?
TEAM is a simple way to understand any startup from Day 0.
Case Study 1: Groww
T – Target Market: A – Acquisition:
Millennials and first-time SEO, blogs, Quora answers on
investors in Tier 1 & Tier 2 investing, WhatsApp group
cities. shares, and finance content.
E – Early Product: M – Monetization:
Basic website for mutual Initially free; later earned via
fund investment; no app, just brokerage on stock trades.
clarity and ease.
Lesson: Start with trust, then build features.
Case Study 2: Mamaearth
T – Target Market: A – Acquisition:
New parents, especially Influencer marketing on
mothers looking for toxin- Instagram and YouTube
free baby products. moms, Amazon reviews, and
blog partnerships.
E – Early Product:
M – Monetization:
Simple D2C website with just
5 products, focused on toxin- Direct online sales (D2C);
free, natural ingredients. retail tie-ups came later.
Lesson: Niche targeting + influencer trust = rapid early growth.
Case Study 3: Meesho
T – Target Market: A – Acquisition:
Small-town homemakers and resellers without inventory. Community-based marketing, Facebook groups, referral
system, focused on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
E – Early Product: M – Monetization:
WhatsApp-based product sharing tool (no app initially), Margin on each sale done by resellers.
allowing users to share images, prices, and take orders.
Lesson: Empowering users (resellers) created a scalable marketing channel.
Groww vs Mamaearth vs Meesho (TEAM Comparison
Table)
Startup Target Early Product Acquisition Monetization
Groww Young investors Mutual fund Quora + SEO + Later via
website Blogs brokerage
Mamaearth Moms & babies 5 D2C products Influencers + Direct online sales
Reviews
Meesho Reselling WhatsApp Facebook groups + Commission/
homemakers sharing tool Referrals margin model
Different markets, same pattern: Clear target, simple start, smart reach.
Group Activity (Reverse a
Startup)
Instructions:
• Form teams of 3–4.
• Pick a well-known startup: CRED, Dunzo, Zepto, Nykaa, etc.
• Fill the TEAM model for that startup.
• Prep for a 2-minute explanation.
Time: 20 mins prep + 2 mins/team
