“App War”: An inspiring, close-up look at startups

“App War”, the latest movie to hit the silver screen, doesn’t just offer audiences pure entertainment, but provides an inspiring look at how to build and invest in startups.

This is truly a must-see for new-era youngsters and investors who aspire to launch and invest in startups.  The film is dense with information about the world of startups, but most importantly, it’s entertaining. “App War” will be celebrated as the “referential film” for this new era of entrepreneurs – and this is not an overstatement.

The film has the right mix of romance and comedy, along with a close look at the business world and all that jazz. Surprisingly, it exceeded my expectations. Given that it stars new faces to the entertainment world, including up-and-coming models, MV actors and actresses and a singer from BNK48 (the hugely popular girl group), many might jump to the conclusion that their presence is merely to hype the film without expecting much from their acting performances.

However, these young stars and starlets play their roles astonishingly well. They draw us into the life of their characters the way any veteran actor or actress would, from nail-biting and tear-jerking scenes to scenes of romance that will send hearts aflutter.

The film editing is exceptionally great. Instead of using one-liners, the film’s seamless continuity of shots and scenes make us smile slightly throughout the film. I would give “App War” a thumbs-up for entertainment.

The film revolves around young entrepreneurs who cross paths, both with startup ideas of remarkable resemblance. So our hero and heroine, with their own strengths and weaknesses, get into blood-and-guts competition in order to win this so-called “App War” and get money from investors, turning their idea into a reality.

The film is delightfully packed with knowledge about business and what it takes to build a startup from the ground up. It gives a closer look at entrepreneurship from inception of ideas, to building a team, and then off to the ferocious world of fund-seeking, where startups enter national and international competitions in the hopes of finding investors who believe in their ideas. Viewers will come away with ideas on how to manage funding, effectively present projects and build a business model, along with the importance of marketing and hiring a team. They’ll get a close-up look at the trials and tribulations in the world of startups, from staving off copycats to confidentiality in the workplace and the importance of research and last but not least, chances of success.

What startup founders must keep in mind is that if they don’t work hard and efficiently, the small business unit of a large company will often copy their ideas. The life of a startup is certainly not a bed of roses, or an easy route to making millions. This is evidenced by the fact that some famously known startups have just gotten a return on investment even though they have been in business for several years.

Currently, some governmental sectors have been lending a hand in supporting startups, so entrepreneurs should study and learn about that too. Please bear in mind: A startup is a business. If you take it lightly and can’t stay focused, chances are you will be defeated.

Today’s startup investors are often those who had their own successful startup. For investors who have no experience in startups, shouldn’t they invest also? In “App War”, what we can take note from the startup competition event. These events help us better screen startups so that we might invest in those who have the best chance at success.

I’m thinking of the words of Dr. Pun-Arj Chairatana, director of the National Innovation Agency, who noted that startups must grow fast in a short period of time. Today there are 750 startups that registered with startupthailand.org’s portal. “You can learn and grasp some presentation strategies for business models as well as business strategies through the film and be ready to meet up with real startups in the Startup Thailand event, which will be held in April next year,” he said.

I am not involved in a startup myself but I got a lot of ideas from watching this film. Armed with all the knowledge from the film, we should turn our dreams into reality. And there is still plenty of time to get prepared … until April 2019.