Suggestions
Wassem Mohd
Transforming restaurants into tech companies
Wassem Mohd is a serial entrepreneur from India with a knack for creating startups that make a difference. With a successful exit under his belt, he is the force behind Easy Eat (EE), a revolutionary contactless solution that digitizes and enhances customer-facing interactions in restaurants. EE enables diners to browse the menu, order, pay, and keep a record of their dining history. Meanwhile, user data helps businesses enhance their marketing and overall efficiency. In 2012, Wassem co-founded Bobble AI, leading the BD and funding, which had over 25 million installs at the time of his exit in 2019. He has a Master of Business Administration degree from Delhi University, studied Enterprise Management at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and received an Honors Degree in Economics from Delhi University. Wassem has also been a management consultant for Deloitte, and Mercer, been an Assistant Professor and Area Head at Management School, and has worked for leading firms like NTPC and Aricent. He is an Investor at CuriousJr, which represents his interest in the startup ecosystem, where he has made significant contributions. With a zeal for innovation and a track record of success, Wassem's future looks very bright in the world of entrepreneurship.
Highlights
My feed is filled with the news of Susan Wojcicki's passing. Although I never had the opportunity to interact with her directly, I have had the privilege of interacting with several people she worked with. I have immense respect for each one of them, which speaks volumes about the kind of leader she was. It’s amazing how a single person can have such a profound direct and indirect impact on thousands, perhaps even millions, of lives. Her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire many.
Time to smell the coffee?
The startup ecosystem is undergoing a correction. Valuation multipliers are becoming more reasonable, and valuations themselves are being corrected. After reaching a peak of $160M in Q1 2022, Series B valuations experienced a dramatic drop, bottoming out at $80M in Q4 2022. Similarly, Series A valuations peaked at $48.2M in Q1 2022, then experienced a steep decline, but recovered slightly to $45M by the latter part of Q4 2023.
The market is self-correcting its valuation anomalies, leading to a shift in the compensation landscape for CXOs. With these adjustments in valuations and the emergence of a large pool of young talent, it may become challenging for these executives to return to their previous salary levels. It's a moment for pragmatism—executives must either adjust their expectations and accept reasonable offers or continue waiting for an opportunity that matches their past compensation.
