1.
iSPIRT
Governing
Framework
Bharat Goenka, Jay Pullur,
NaveenTewari, Sharad
Sharma,VishnuDusad
Ver 5, 6th Apr 2014
Ver 4 1st Feb 2014
Ver 3 11th Jan 2014
Ver 2, 16th Oct 2013
Ver 1, 24th Sep 2013

2.
Third-Gen Industry Body
CII, FICCI, AMA
NASSCOM,
IeSA, IAB,
MMA,
TechAmerica
FSF (Free Software
Foundation), Open
Software Initiative,
Invisible Children
Initiative
-----
SOPA Campaign
(e.g. Wikipedia
Blackout)
Our influence will come from:
- Deep Expertise. We are the Brookings Institute for Indian
Software Product Industry and are able to shape policy.
- Representation. Right now we represent the “movers and
shakers” of the industry. Over time we’ll have the broadest
representation in the industry.
- Platforms. Our market catalyst platform like iSMB program,
M&A Connect program and InTech50 are are “public goods”
that drive growth for Indian software product companies.
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3.
iSPIRT is a Collection of Causes
• iSPIRT is a 10-year journey; we take a long view on building the
Indian Software Product Industry (SPI).
• There is no silver bullet to improve the SPI ecosystem. Multiple
initiatives are needed. Each initiative is derived from a “cause” and
has its own success metrics.
• We are believers in deep impact. We would rather touch fewer
participants (entrepreneurs, policy makers, buyers) and make a big
difference to their lives than go after shallow engagement with
many.
• We have faith that each cause will make a contribution to the larger
good and don’t seek to tease out the specific contributions.
– For example, M&A connect will improve early stage funding which, in
turn, will reduce mortality and improve ecosystem outcomes.
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4.
Our Governing Principles
Causes/Goals/Strategies/People may change but core governing
principles remain unchanged. They clarify our thinking when we come
to a confusing fork in the road.
We hold ourselves to 3 good-governance principles:
• Radical transparency – this is crucial to continued operation of our
“peer production” (volunteer) model
• Polycentric governance aka Panchayat system – iSPIRT is bigger
than any one individual
• Open-Access Public Goods – we work for many and not for any one
company, no matter how important it might be
We will actively weed out any violations to these governing principles.
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5.
iSPIRT Governing Council
Intent Resources Plan/Action Review/Feedback
Donors Yes
GC Yes Yes
Fellows Yes
Beneficiaries Yes
• GC is about empowerment rather than control
– Holds iSPIRT to its Governing Principles and ensures integrity across the board
– Helps clarify objectives
– Aligns timelines to seek synergy across initiatives
– Allocates resources and leads donor campaigns
– Demonstrates collective responsibility – has no silos internally
– Is responsible to Industry at large not just to Donors
– Are the spokespersons for the Industry
• GC follows polycentric governance and is a panchayat of 5 members
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6.
What is Ecosystem Success?
• NIC code for Software Product Industry in India
• Accelerated growth of the SPI
– We seek to create healthier power-law distribution of big and small
firms
– iSPIRT’s market catalysts help companies scale
– Measured by Market Capitalization (not revenues)
• India as a global hub for SPI
– Bigger than Israel in M&A (not startup density)
– Measured by number and value of M&A deals
• Strong software products culture
– Where tacit knowledge thrives and drives success
– iSPIRT Playbooks Pillar is ‘Cricket Australia’ of SPI
– Measured by Market-Product Fit Velocity (to capture reducing
gestation periods over time)
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7.
GC Member Expectations
• Stays abreast of initiatives that have been
resourced and those awaiting resourcing
• Able to inspire Fellows, Mavens, Sarathis, etc.
• Cascades values of integrity, transparency,
public goods and polycentric governance
• Strategic thinker at industry level
• Spokesperson for the industry
• 3 year tenure
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8.
iSPIRT Internal Operating Routines
• FC/Donor updates
– Monthly call
– Quarterly f2f meeting
– Quarterly Financial Report
• Fellows meetings
– Monthly for coordination and cross-pollination
– Standup calls within each initiative
• Policy creation and consultation
– Every policy position of iSPIRT goes through a
consultation process
• Annual iSPIRT Letter (aka Bill Gates Foundation)
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9.
More Reading
• Peer Production: Prof. Yochai Benkler - Coase's Penguin,
or Linux and the Nature of the Firm
• Effectual Leadership: Prof. Saras Sarasvathy - Effectuation
• Polycentric Governance: Prof. Elinor Ostrom – 2009 Nobel
Prize Lecture
• Knowledge economy – “ideas, people and things” as the
relevant factors of production in place of the traditional
factors of land, labor and capital: Paul Romer - Knowledge
and the Wealth of Nations
• Volunteer Collaboration: What the Tech Industry Has
Learned from Linus Torvalds – TEDx video by Jim Zemlin
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10.
Thanks!
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