For the last five years, the headline has always been the same: "Who is the next Unicorn?" The billion-dollar valuation became the only metric of success. Founders burned cash to buy growth, hoping the next funding round would save them.

Then the funding winter hit. And the Unicorns started dying.

Enter the Camel

Alex Lazarow coined the term "Camel" to describe startups in emerging markets. Unlike Unicorns, Camels are real. They are resilient. They can survive long periods without food or water (capital).

• 1.They Charge from Day 1: Camels don't give away their product for free to "acquire users." They value their work, and so do their customers.
• 2.They Manage Costs: They don't have fancy offices in Indiranagar until they can afford them. They grow efficiently.
• 3.They Take the Long View: They aren't trying to exit in 3 years. They are building generational companies.

Why We Back Camels

At CrowdVentures, we love Camels. They are less risky for our investors because they don't depend on the whims of a VC to survive. If the market crashes, a Camel just keeps walking. A Unicorn starves.

India is a tough market. It’s hot, it’s crowded, and it’s unpredictable. It’s no place for a delicate horse with a fake horn. It’s Camel country.