At TechSparks 2026, Naren Shaam, founder and chief executive of Omio Group, offered entrepreneurs a blunt but timely reminder: the best startups are built by people who identify a problem worth solving and remain committed to it long enough to create real value. In a startup environment often shaped by short-term growth targets, fast pivots and investor pressure, Shaam's advice stood out for its emphasis on patience, conviction and global ambition.
Think Global Early
Shaam urged founders to think beyond their immediate market from the outset, arguing that the strongest companies are often those designed with international relevance in mind. For startups in India, that message carries particular weight. The domestic ecosystem has matured rapidly, producing founders who are increasingly confident about building for scale. Yet many still begin with a narrow geographic lens, tailoring products to local demand before considering whether the underlying problem has broader applicability.
His comments reflect a reality that has become more visible across the venture landscape: investors are no longer impressed only by speed. They are looking for businesses that can cross borders, withstand competition and solve problems that persist regardless of market cycles. A global-first mindset does not necessarily mean immediate expansion, but it does require founders to design products, teams and operations with adaptability in mind.
Solve What Matters
Shaam's central point was that entrepreneurship should begin with the problem, not the product. That distinction is increasingly important in a market where many startups are launched around trends, funding narratives or technology fashions rather than clear customer pain points. His advice to focus on difficult problems suggests that founders should resist the temptation to chase easy wins or incremental features that may generate attention but not lasting impact.
For venture-backed startups, this is more than philosophical guidance. Companies that tackle complex, structural problems often have stronger long-term moats because they build deeper customer relationships and more defensible technology. The trade-off is that such businesses are usually harder to start, slower to prove and more demanding to operate. Shaam's remarks implied that founders should accept that difficulty as part of the opportunity, not as a warning sign.
The message also aligns with a broader recalibration in the startup ecosystem after years of exuberant capital flows. As funding conditions have become more selective, founders are under greater pressure to demonstrate product-market fit, operational discipline and a credible path to profitability. In that environment, solving a meaningful problem is not just a branding exercise; it is a survival strategy.
Commitment Builds Companies
Perhaps the most pointed part of Shaam's advice was his emphasis on staying with a problem for the long term. Startup culture often celebrates agility, but there is a difference between disciplined adaptation and constant reinvention. Shaam's remarks suggested that founders should be willing to stay focused through setbacks, refine their approach and continue building even when progress is uneven.
That perspective is especially relevant in India's startup ecosystem, where many founders are now navigating a more demanding market than the one that existed during the peak of easy capital. Long-term commitment matters because meaningful businesses rarely emerge from one decisive breakthrough. They are usually the result of repeated iteration, customer feedback and the willingness to endure uncertainty while the model matures.
Shaam's own experience as the founder of Omio, a travel platform that operates across markets, gives added credibility to his advice. Building a business with international reach requires not only product ambition but also operational resilience, regulatory awareness and the ability to adapt to different consumer behaviors. His remarks at TechSparks therefore carried the weight of practical experience rather than abstract startup rhetoric.
For entrepreneurs in India, the broader takeaway is clear. The next generation of standout companies may not be the ones that move fastest, but the ones that choose the right problem, design for scale and stay committed long enough to matter. In a crowded startup market, that combination may prove more valuable than speed alone.