Dr. V. Francis John, CEO of ZtartUp.com, a renowned company incubator and accelerator situated in Dubai, UAE. He is the CEO of a network of diverse and creative companies in industries such as emergency medical response, airport assistance, fertility treatment, e-commerce, and fintech. Dr. John’s primary goal is to use artificial intelligence and blockchain to empower both businesses and investors while also positively impacting society.
Dr. John brings more than forty years of experience in technology, governance, and policy to ZtartUp.com. He also serves on the boards of Startup Village by mUrgency Business Incubator and mUrgency International, in addition to his job as CEO. He also works as a director for mU Holdings and as a Partner for KUBE VC. Intelligent Beings, a company dedicated to utilizing new technologies for innovative industry solutions, was formed by him.
Dr. John works with passion for tech-driven solutions and is committed to supporting startups and entrepreneurs in starting and expanding their businesses in today’s quickly changing landscape. His various accomplishments in this field illustrate his dedication to using technology to bridge gaps and inequities. Dr. John finds joy and inspiration in passing on his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the next generation of entrepreneurs outside of his professional efforts. This zeal propels him to be proactive, even hyperactive at times, and supports his collaborative approach to his work.
Changing Ideas into Reality
Ztartup.com started in 2020 with a big goal: to make Dubai even better. Dubai is known for business, but we wanted to make it a hotspot for new thinkers, creators, and leaders. Dubai has great tools and connections for this, like good internet and transportation. It’s like fertile soil for new ideas and businesses. But, to turn these ideas into real businesses, people need help and advice. In Dubai, things change fast, so Dr. John wants to use new technology to improve old ways and find new ones. Lots of people have good ideas, but now the hard part is finding the right help and resources, like solving a big puzzle. At Ztartup.com, the team wants to be the support that helps these new thinkers and creators turn their ideas into real businesses that last.
Ztartup.com is the first private entity business incubator in Dubai and is a sector-agnostic business incubator that works to foster synergies between the company’s incubates. This has led to the company having a vibrant and collaborative community of entrepreneurs and teams working together and making each other better. “For our incubates, we offer everything from guidance to administrative support. As an entrepreneur that comes to the UAE with just an idea, this initial help is paramount; it could be the inflection point between letting their idea stay an idea or a successful business venture,” says Dr. John.
Fostering Entrepreneurial Spirit
Dr. John has been an entrepreneur at different times in his life. Some of his ventures were really successful, while others taught him important lessons that he now considers as wisdom. Being an entrepreneur is really important for any community, area, and economy. This is what motivated him to work in this field, to help more people become entrepreneurs by sharing what he’s learned from his experiences.
At ZtartUp.com, Dr. John’s job begins with listening to business ideas and deciding if they fit the company’s investment plan. After that, he helps new businesses join the company smoothly and regularly talks to the business owners to find out if they need help. He also makes sure that the ZtartUp.com values are followed by our creative, IT, and management teams.
Startup Success Criteria
Dr. John has a checklist for start-ups before he decides to mentor or fund them:
- A de rigueur compelling story
- A team par excellence
- A viable scalable model with fit to market metrics
- A sustainable business model
- Strong execution skillsets
- Validation from early customers and/or end users
- Impeccable financials
- Alignment with the investor’s strategy
- Be passionate to the core.
Empowering Entrepreneurship through Tech
Innovation and problem-solving strategies have always been key components of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs now have access to a wide range of tools, applications and resources thanks to the development of technology, which can help them grow their companies. Technology influences and facilitates entrepreneurship in various ways, from social media to e-commerce platforms, automation tools to artificial intelligence. Dr. John leverages the power of technology in business for the benefit of industry:
By embracing cloud computing Making the switch to the cloud for the company’s operations is among the best things one can do as an entrepreneur. Cost reductions, enhanced adaptability, and effective data security are a few proven advantages of cloud technology. Dr. John says, “You may utilise your information and software from any location, collaborate with teammates instantaneously, and speed up procedures by storing them in the cloud.”
By investing in automation Increasing the effectiveness of the business operations and lowering the amount of time and resources needed to perform tasks, has had a significant impact on the business models. Additionally, automation enabled businesses to expand their operations, boost production, lower expenses and errors, and enhance the calibre of their services.
By using social media to build brand awareness Have increased our brand awareness by positioning as a thought leader and developing a consistent brand voice, engaging with followers, producing helpful material, utilizing influencers, and employing paid advertising. We employed social media to expand the visibility and audience of our company by producing useful content, developing connections with our audience, and running paid advertising.
By harnessing the power of data analytics Boosted marketing campaigns, comprehended businesses’ customers better, and made data-driven judgments with the aid of analytical tools. ZtartUp.com’s marketing plan was optimised, keeping trends and possibilities in mind, and the bottom line increased by reviewing its website traffic, social media interaction, and sales statistics.
By embracing mobile technology Mobile technology is becoming increasingly important for entrepreneurs, with more and more customers using mobile devices to access information, shop, and connect with businesses. By ensuring that ZtartUp.com’s website is mobile-friendly and investing in mobile apps and technology, the company reached more customers and improved the UX – user experience.
Journey from Pause to Prosperity
Back in 2020, when ZtartUp.com was starting out in Dubai, the world faced a big pause. The team had to rethink how they did business. They used to focus on having a physical place where people could work together. But even though things were tough, they stuck to their plan. They believed that Dubai had many creative people, but it was hard to connect them with the right help. It was like a big puzzle. With time, their plans succeeded, and now they have a thriving community. Dr. John states, “The biggest takeaway being, if you believe in something and there are hiccups along the way, instead of abandoning the idea altogether – stick through and make adjustments to make it viable for the current atmosphere.”
Guiding Principles for Emerging Leaders
Dr. John shares that ZtartUp.com has added 18 more seats to its coworking space in a new building. They are also growing their work to Kochi, India, and then to Singapore. The goal is to repeat this success in various places around the world and help even more entrepreneurs.
Dr. John advises young leaders and entrepreneurs that trusting your gut feelings is crucial. However, it’s important to refine those feelings by asking questions and learning from experienced people. He also suggests finding a balance between work and personal life. This balance, called homeostasis, is what helps both your creativity and life thrive.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
