Go-to-Market
Now that we have an idea of the UVI product (and it still needs to be developed), we need to discuss how it can get traction – product-market fit. The best way is to use the UVI for two applications: actual elections (“war time”) and Sabhas (“peace time”). 2022 has many important elections scheduled – states and municipal corporations. One of the best places to pilot it would be in the Mumbai corporation elections which are scheduled in February.
Mumbai’s NANVs could be the early adopters – few are happy with the state of governance in the city. Turnout in 2017 was just 55%. Given that the various parties are all likely to contest on their own (and not in coalitions), the first-past-the-post system offers an opportunity for UVI to make a big impact. In a multi-party contest, winning 30% of the votes could be enough to win a constituency. 30% of 55% comes to 16.5% of the total electorate. So, if NANVs can attract 20% of the voting population in a constituency, the UVI candidate stands a good chance of winning. Success in Mumbai would resonate across India, helping mainstream the idea ahead of the state elections.
So, a targeted campaign for UVI ahead of the BMC elections is a good starting point. Win or lose, this will offer rich learnings and help improve both the platform and the sales pitch. Every election after that should be used to improve and scale. By the end of the year, UVI should be ready as a platform for taking on the incumbent parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
A second track to identify candidates, conduct primaries and train winning candidates in decision making is the idea of “Sabhas” that I have described earlier. The objectives of Sabhas I had stated then were:
- To create a shadow or parallel government that mirrors the working of the real one
- To attract large numbers of people; ideally, from the non-aligned and non voters (NANVs)
- To attract political entrepreneurs keen on climbing the political ladder
- To unite all on the twin principles of freedom and prosperity
Sabhas needs a platform like UVI for attracting political entrepreneurs and training them to climb the political ladder. UVI needs Sabhas to run through iterations to constantly improve. Together, they can work across the country even when there are no elections scheduled, and thus lay the foundation for political awareness and action among the NANVs. The UVI platform could also be used for movements and campaigns as a way to grow support for the broader ideas. Combined with the pipe, UVI and Sabhas become the building blocks for constructing the Indian Revolution.
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To conclude: what I have outlined in this series is an approach to use the decentralisation movement that is driving the world of finance and apply it to politics. India needs a disruption in our political system – UVI can be that force of change. These are just ideas for now. Transforming India and making Indians free and rich is the biggest problem in India today. Hopefully, entrepreneurs can build on this and create a New India, mirroring what they are doing in many other sectors in India. Our time starts now!
