#NoFreePOC

Join the movement to end the culture of endless free proof-of-concepts in the Indian startup ecosystem.

It's time to value our work, respect our expertise, and build a sustainable business environment where quality work is properly compensated.

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Add your startup to the growing list of companies committed to ending free POC culture.

Why Indian Startups Are Moving Away from Free POCs

The hidden cost of "proving it first" and why the industry is recalibrating.

The Endless POC Loop

When try-before-you-buy becomes try-till-we-forget. Initial decision-makers ask for POCs, then additional stakeholders request extensions, security teams reinitiate reviews, and champions leave projects.

Result: Zero conversion. Significant engineering and product bandwidth consumed.

Value Dilution = Brand Dilution

Free POCs signal low confidence in your product's worth, creating a reverse power dynamic where customers expect to take value before showing commercial intent.

Impact: Commoditizes innovation and sets wrong expectations.

Operational Drain

Engineering teams create sandboxed environments, customer success services unpaid pilots, and product teams get diverted by demo-only features.

Cost: Revenue teams stuck managing accounts that may never convert.

Poor Conversion Data

Less than 10-20% of free POCs convert into paid deals. Even successful conversions stretch beyond 3-6 months, creating misaligned cash flow and poor pipeline forecasting.

Reality: Free POCs are rarely worth it unless pre-committed.

The Shift to Commitment-Led Access

Charging paid pilots with time-boxed goals
Money-back POCs to align risk
Trial periods post-contract or post-PO
Signed commitments before technical evaluation

The signal is clear: Access to innovation now comes with skin in the game.

"Time is the most expensive currency in B2B tech. We don't devalue our products by giving away unpaid POCs. We co-design value-first pilots with customers ready to go beyond window shopping."

You don't test-drive a rocket. You partner to launch it.

Growing Movement

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