OEN Blog

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

tekbasse — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:06:50 GMT

Really visionary innovations will likely not get funded through traditional means, because expansive visions don't tend to fit the pigeon hole requirements that investors look for, ie they don't see the forest for the trees. Yet with true entreprenuerial spirit, innovators will find traditional ways to build/fund cashcows so that they can fund their sacred cow projects to success.

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

tekbasse — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:54:03 GMT

Innovation is the best hope for this broken economy. Expanding on Holce and Kahl, I believe networks of entreprenuers are most likely to deliver the innovative start-ups, but that the innovation needs to become an integral part of localized economies most everywhere. A few dichotomies will be in play with, for example, the combining of service/manufacturing and high/low technology solutions to be deployed in cooperative clusters of local (competitive) markets. Erm, did I just jumble everything together?? Not really. I see the breakout innovations as having to break boundaries in specialties that are traditionally held completely separate. Think how cosmology intersects the very large (cosmos) and the very small (quantum physics).

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

DavidKahl — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:10:39 GMT

I am totally in agreement with Mr. Holce, and, though not in disagreement with the others, believe that the old industrial models of economy have been usurped and bastardized into becoming an unrecognizable dinosaur, on the verge of extinction. Fundamental definition of capitalism, noted in the Federalist Papers, prized the qualitative value of labor, its productive value, and the need for incentive, which enhanced affordability of product or service through the resulting elimination of nonproductive service of inferior goods/service.

In other words, offer the best, pay your worker to make the best, the cost lowers, the price lowers, the market grows, and you hire more employees to meet the demand. Everybody wins.

Tech is the means of connecting creative minds in common cause. The best start-ups should include both organization and operating system. They have to offer solutions that originate in the experience and offerings of the market that they serve. Technology affords a fast track solution, but only if the architecture is designed, from the beginning, to fit the need. It can, by this means, impact economy on a local and regional basis and then be applied or serve as a model for duplication, thus serving to enhance a broader, sustainable economy.

RE: Social Networking 101 with Rick Turoczy

ryanw — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:17:47 GMT

This is a great review for those that have been around on social networking sites as well, especially as new communities pop up. Thanks for posting and thanks to Rick for the talk/presentation.

RE: OEN's Venture Northwest to be discussed in OPB's Think Out Loud help frame the discussion.

sarenar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:06:39 GMT

Visit OPB to read about the discussion http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/posts/list/1797812.page

Listen to the show at http://stream1.opb.org:9000/tol/episodes/2008/1030.mp3

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

Martin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:10:40 GMT

The only reason tech start-ups are the economy's best hope is because there is not much hope to begin with. After the housing crisis and the banking crisis the credit-card crisis will be next and that makes it a long dark winter for the US economy. While the crisis will no doubt foster more innovation and hopefully help create the next Google, tech companies - especially start-ups - will not have enough of an impact to turn the economy around. The problems need to be fixed on a more fundamental level.

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

kent — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:40:22 GMT

Entreprenuership and service are the way out--tech or not depends. Oh, and banks that start actively lending would be nice, too. De-leveraging is hard and we are far from out of the woods.

When times are tough, cash is king. But too often the focus is on cutting costs instead of looking at our innate skills to serve others. Focus on what's being paid for and why--Nathan's point on the value proposition that reduces customers costs and increasing efficiency is spot on.

Conserve the cash, for sure, but focus on serving the customer and use technology where needed. Streamline, get creative, and double the efforts.

Tech implies you're coming up with something new and presumably better, but it's entrepreneurs that figure out how to build business that serve people on a large scale win. If that's tech fine, if not fine. It does pay to have good engineers coming out of our schools. Education is paramount for Oregon to maintain a high standard of living.

PS-The bike raffle was NOT rigged. Embarrassing, but it does ride nice.

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

nlillegard — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:11:12 GMT

Good question. It seems that everyday on the drive in, there is more news of chaos in the world of business. That doesn't help the psyche of an early stage tech entrepreneur that has dozens of other things to worry about. But, I would say that if you take a step back, this is a great time to start a company. The question is, what kind of 'tech startup' will fly?

If the technology you bring to market and the value proposition you offer customers is focused on reducing costs and/or increasing efficiency, this is a great time to start a company. If however, your technology is more luxury or novelty than necessity, good luck.

That's my $.02 - Nathan

RE: Are tech start-ups the economy's best hope?

admin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:55:59 GMT

FYI - In order to leave a comment, you will need to log in first. You can log in by clicking the "Log In" link, located near the top left side of your screen.

For new users, you will need to register in order to participate. The "Register" link is also located near the top left side of the screen.

Thanks,

OEN Admin

RE: OEN Customized Triumph Speedmaster Photos

sarenar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:31:27 GMT

Kent Holce is the lucky winner of this bike.