The Jugaad Mindset: How to Build Your Startup with Zero Budget
EIC MBM
Published on October 17, 2025
"Constraints don't block creativity; they force it. For student founders, having no money is a secret advantage."
Many students believe you need a lot of money to start a company. You need funds for an app, for marketing, for an office. This is a myth. The most successful startups began with almost nothing. They didn't have cash; they had creativity.
This is the Jugaad Mindset. It’s about being resourceful, finding clever workarounds, and turning limitations into strengths. Here’s how you can build your startup with little to no money.
Step 1: Use Free Tools for Everything
In 2025, you can run a company using tools that cost nothing. Before you spend a single rupee, check if there’s a free alternative.
Your free startup toolkit:
- Website: Google Sites, Carrd, or Notion.
- Design: Canva.
- Communication: WhatsApp or Slack.
- Project Management: Trello or Google Sheets.
- Surveys: Google Forms.
Example
A student group wanted to create a portfolio website to showcase their projects. Instead of paying a developer, they used Canva to design the layout and built it on Carrd in a single afternoon for free.
Step 2: Master the ‘Concierge MVP’
Don't build an app before you know people want your service. A Concierge MVP means you do everything manually first. You are the app.
How it works: Take orders via WhatsApp, manage payments with GPay, track deliveries on a spreadsheet. It's not scalable, but it proves your concept without writing a single line of code.
Example
Instead of building a complex platform for connecting students with tutors, a founder started a WhatsApp group. He manually matched juniors who needed help with seniors who could teach. It cost nothing and instantly validated the demand.
Step 3: Barter and Collaborate
You may not have money, but you have skills or time. Find other students who have the skills you lack and trade with them.
The barter economy: Need a logo? Offer to write social media content for a design student in return. Need help with coding? Offer to handle marketing for a tech student’s project.
Example
A founder who was great at public speaking needed a simple animated video. She coached a shy design student for a presentation competition. In return, he created a 30-second explainer video for her startup. Win-win.
Step 4: Build a Community, Not an Ad Campaign
Paid ads are expensive and inefficient for early-stage startups. Your first 100 users should come from community and word-of-mouth.
How to do it: Create a valuable WhatsApp or Instagram community around the problem you’re solving. Share useful information, help people, and build trust. Then, introduce your product to a warm audience.
Example
A startup focused on mental wellness for students started an Instagram page sharing tips for managing exam stress. They grew to 1,000 followers in a month. When they launched their first workshop, it sold out instantly because they had already built a trusted community.
Final Thoughts
Being a student with no budget is not a disadvantage; it’s a filter. It forces you to be creative, to focus on what truly matters, and to build something people want without relying on money. Master the Jugaad Mindset, and you'll learn lessons that no amount of funding can buy.