In the workforce, there are large pockets that practice tools like six-sigma, theory of constraints, etc.
This co-opting of analytical thinking into the traditional jugaad-innovation mindset is strengthening the innovation ecosystem in two ways.
• By helping surface new constraints earlier in the game, it is making the improvisational solution-finding cycle more strategic.
• It is leading to the creation of specialist analyst firms. A good example of this is Evalueserve, another award winner this year. It sells its industry and data analytical skills to others. By doing this remotely, it has made deep analytics accessible to a whole new set of customers.
Jugaad innovation is an important part of the innovation landscape in India. Yet, this is not the only innovation ecosystem at work. In recent years, a product ecosystem has started taking shape as well.

Product Innovation Ecosystem – Rapidly Maturing
There are several reasons for an IT product ecosystem rapidly maturing in India. First, there is now a pool of experienced entrepreneurs who have gone through multiple product lifecycles. Many in this pool have acquired experience in the captive R&D centres, there are others who have returned home.
Second, there is venture capital now available for product companies. This makes the initial upfront investment in R&D and marketing possible.
Third, the support system of specialist firms – legal, design, testing, etc. – has now come up.
Fourth, the social support for entrepreneurship is growing. There are a number of support forums like TiE and NASSCOM that are available.

Now even parents and academia celebrate entrepreneurship.
All this augurs well for product startups. This positive momentum is reflected in the NASSCOM awards process, 3 of the 7 award winners are product startups.
Currently, the Indian product ecosystem is tightly coupled to the Silicon Valley ecosystem. VCs, seasoned professionals, and market insights are freely flowing back and forth between them. The dominant startup model is the cross-continental model where the customer facing roles are based in the US and the business strategy and engineering roles are based in India.
Another noticeable change is that the Indian product startups are becoming savvier at anticipating market needs and making appropriate products bets. Take Ittiiam, one of the winners, Ittiam builds DSP solutions for in-flight entertainment system market. Despite their strong technology heritage, they have been able to take an outside-in perspective to develop key insights on the future of in-flight entertainment systems. They are now well on their way to becoming the platform of choice.
Another award winner, Strand Lifesciences, is also an example of a startup bridging two worlds – the technology and the customer worlds. Strand focuses on drug research companies. It has developed analytical and simulation tools for these researchers. They are have invested heavily into their products and are now being rewarded with growing market traction.
Both Ittiam and Strand are promising success stories. They showing how one can leverage industry touch-points across the world. This outside-in approach is now visible in the consumer product space as well.