What an unconquered 15th-century sea fort, Murud Janjira taught me about building a startup.
Recently, I stood before the Murud Janjira Fort, an architectural marvel in the middle of the Arabian Sea.
History tells us this fort remained unconquered for over 350 years.
The Marathas, the Portuguese, the British, the superpowers of their time, all tried to breach it. They all failed.
As a co-founder reflecting on our journey this year, I couldn’t help but see the perfect blueprint for building a resilient startup.
1. The “Invisible” Gate (Strategic Differentiation)
The fort’s main entrance is designed to be invisible from the sea until you are just 40 feet away. Enemies would sail right past it, confused and exposed.
Startup Lesson:
In a noisy market, you don’t always need to shout the loudest. You need a unique value proposition that is defensible. Sometimes, the best strategy is building in stealth, letting your competitors overlook you until you’ve already captured the stronghold.
2. Fresh Water in a Salt Ocean (Sustainability)
Despite being surrounded by corrosive saltwater, the fort has two massive freshwater lakes inside that never dried up. That allowed its defenders to survive sieges that lasted for years.
Startup Lesson:
It’s easy to float when funding is abundant. But real longevity comes from your internal “fresh water”, sustainable unit economics, a strong culture, and the ability to survive when the external capital dries up.
3. Built on Rock, Not Sand (Foundations)
The fort wasn’t built on the shore; it was built on a massive rock island. It faced the full force of the monsoons and the ocean for centuries, yet it stands.
Startup Lesson:
We often rush to scale (build the walls) before we fix the foundation (product-market fit). If the foundation is weak, the first storm will wash you away. If it’s rock-solid, the storm only cleans the deck.
4. The Long Game
Janjira wasn’t built for a quick exit; it was built to rule the coast for generations.
Startup Lesson:
We live in a world of quick flips and unicorns. But the companies that truly matter are the “Cockroaches”, the ones that refuse to die, the ones that play the infinite game.
As we wrap up this year, I’m doubling down on our foundations.
We aren’t just building to exit; we are building to remain unconquered.
Here’s to strong foundations and playing the long game. 🚀