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This presentation was delivered to final year Computer Science and Software Engineering students at University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Insititute of Technology in September 2014.
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Introduction to Startups
forComputer Science students
September 2014
Leni Mayotwitter.com/lenidot
leni at moniker dot net
Lets start with the big picture
Why take risk?
Entrepreneur as risk-bearer
Richard Cantillon(1725)
Entrepreneurship contd.
Origin: French, from entreprendre 'undertake’
Oxford Dictionary: taking on financial risks in the hope of profit
1803, JB Say, an entrepreneur:shifts economic resources out of an area of lower
and into an area of higher productivity
What is a startup?
• High Risk
• High Return
• Large Market
The meaning of words is contestable
Silicon ValleyHistorical period for Silicon Valley – eg Florence during the Renaissance.
Thought leadership around startups.
Common memes: “change the world” and “shoot for the moon”.
Silicon Valley has a 100-year history and a highly specialised ecosystem incl oceans of money and hundreds of big-name brands. All of which heavily colours the outlook.
Money with megaphones: incentives to influence culture in specific ways
Your context is very different. Don’t drink the coolade.
Reflect on what you read. Adapt what’s useful to your circumstances.
Most of your learning will/should come from first-hand direct experience.
Nor is Silicon Valley the only successful model
German-speaking countries• Mittlestand Germany: 50% of GDP• Highly focused• Innovative and high-value product• Do one thing really well economies of scale• Leadership in worldwide niche
• This pattern is seen in Australia too:– 3 people, $2m revenue, aspiring to 8
people and $5m revenue– engineering and management often
stronger than marketing and brand skills
Also of interest:Boulder, NYC, Israel and China
Melbourne culture
Sail away ... by Manfred Bartelshttp://pixdaus.com/?sort=tag&tag=sailing%20ship
That’s enough big picture.
Any questions?
Roles at a Tech Startup
Make itSell it
What critical role is missing?
Product / Market Fit
Make something that people want
(Paul Graham)
When uncertainty is high
it’s a different ball game
Tell me exactly what you want
and
I will build it
Is the road to failure
Strategy and practice develop in parallel
Lets play a game
Don’t invest in dead ends
Fast feedback allows usto exploit the value of emerging information
(Don Reinertsen)
Computer Science uses construction metaphors: engineering, architecture, design
Startups feel more like biology.
Start small and growSense and respond to environment
Continual evolution
ContinuallyPut working software
Into the hands of users
Tshaped people
ResourcesWhere What Why
startupvictoria.com.au Startup Victoria Community of like-minded people
tinalleybeta.com.au Tin Alley Beta Work experience at a local startup
12factor.net The 12 Factor App A (good) way to build web apps
reinertsenassociates.com Don Reinertsen Product Development
