A cocoon splits, and the butterfly’s wings unfold for the first time. It doesn’t know how far it can fly or where the wind will take it, but it chooses to trust the sky. So is any 3.00 a.m. thought that dares to emerge as a start-up idea. A butterfly that never leaves the cocoon will never taste nectar; an idea that never leaves the mind will never be called a start-up.
What if you were told that college life is no different from launching a startup? It begins with choosing a degree. You might have a vague idea of what interests you but are unsure whether it aligns with your dreams, your family’s expectations, or whether you can handle the academics, the social life, or learn something valuable. But, just like a start-up founder taking the leap to build something from scratch, you decide, “Enough of thinking. Let me face it!” Thus begins the building of your personal brand — your startup — through college life.
Surprisingly, a start-up’s lifecycle mirrors a student’s college journey. Let’s see how.
Year One
Market Research: A start-up begins by studying its market. Likewise, in your first year, you explore academics, student communities, societies, and fests. You attend seminars, join clubs, take up roles … It’s all trial and error. Reading 100 books can’t teach you what your experiences will. You’ll soon hit that “aha!” moment: “This is what I love. This is what I want to do.”
Minimum Viable Product: An MVP is a start-up’s basic product tested in the real world. For you, it’s how you introduce yourself. What do you stand for? Your academic presence, social media, and extracurriculars shape this early version of you. It’s raw, it’s growing, and it’s enough to start.
Year Two
Experiment and Validate: It’s time to test your MVP. Internships, projects, and competitions are your prototypes. Feedback from professors and peers? That’s customer feedback. You’ll learn what works for you and what doesn’t. If something fails, pivot. Just like start-ups tweak their product, you too must be open to change. Maybe your dream internship disappoints. Maybe your major doesn’t excite you. Pivoting is a strategy. It’s how you move closer to who you’re meant to become.
Resources = Funding: Startups need funding to grow. For students, internships, mentors, and networks are that funding. Internships are your seed capital; they open doors. Professors, alumni, professionals are your investors. Their belief in your potential is priceless. How well you utilise these resources determines how far you go.
Year Three
Product-Market Fit: Start-ups reach Product-Market Fit when customers love the product. Students reach Career-Market Fit when their skills align with industry needs. Suddenly, recruiters are noticing. Professors are recommending. Mentors are trusting. Your resume isn’t just a list of activities; it is a story that resonates.
Final Year
Scaling Up: Start-ups scale once they achieve stability. Similarly, in the final year, you need to expand your influence. Take on leadership roles: run clubs, mentor juniors, write research papers, theses, or capstone projects. Learn how to manage time, projects, and people. These are the skills that truly set you up for life.
Exit strategy
Startups dream of IPOs. Students prepare for graduation. Whether it’s getting placed in a top firm or securing a dream admit, that’s your public debut. But just as start-ups must evolve post-IPO, your journey doesn’t end at graduation. True success includes the experiences, values, and relationships you’ve built.
College isn’t just about academics. It’s your start-up incubator. You ideate. Experiment. Fail. Pivot. Grow. Launch. Not everyone’s start-up will look the same. Not every journey will be smooth. But take ownership of your path, stay curious, and remain open to change. Then you will graduate with more than a degree.
The writer is a Class of 2025 B.Com. (Hons.) student from O.P. Jindal Global University, Delhi NCR.
Published – June 28, 2025 07:30 pm IST
