4 ms·

This is not an easy market to disrupt... the barrier to entry for manufacturing a $200,000 tractor or $500,000 combine is high, and the market is not that large

This is not an easy market to disrupt... the barrier to entry for manufacturing a $200,000 tractor or $500,000 combine is high, and the market is not that large. This isn't like coming up with a better lightbulb that cost $2 to manufacture and will sell millions. And while the large farms may cycle through their equipment in 5 years, a small farmer may keep his in operation for 20+ years, so there's not a whole lot of equipment turnover for an upstart to break into.

narrowrail 10y ago
John Deere is a brand name in the US. There are several Asian companies that compete with them. When was the last time you bought a tractor? Mahindra, Kubota, New Holland Ag, Case-Farmall and Massey-Ferguson. Have you looked at the competitive landscape?
- timthorn 10y ago
  Most of that list are American or European.
vvanders 10y ago
Yup, and longer. Heavy equipment is built to a different standard, our Compact Utility Tractor is ~30 years old and still going strong.
zaragossa 10y ago
> This is not an easy market to disrupt... the barrier to entry for ... This is the way of thinking of the poor. The rich don't think like that.
- RevHaze 10y ago
  The rich don't understand barriers to entry? Sure, throw enough money at the barrier and you can climb it, but that's not so much a revolutionary state of mind as it is just having enough money to try something expensive.
- YCode 10y ago
  You can think however you like, the barrier doesn't care.
prodmerc 10y ago
What about replacing only the software? Or will they claim it's illegal and you still don't own the hardware?
- askvictor 10y ago
  How would you make money off this?
- adrianN 10y ago
  Then they'll only allow signed software to run. Trying to start a business on a hostile platform doesn't sound like a good idea.
noonespecial 10y ago
Then again, if you come up with a little harvester that autonomously harvests 1/4 acre, fits in a suitcase and costs $100, you just might sell millions. People will want better $500k harvesters like they want Zeppelins with more lift or faster steam ships.
- alexvoda 10y ago
  I do actually want a Zeppelin. Having a residence floating in the air is kinda cool I think.

narrowrail 10y ago

John Deere is a brand name in the US. There are several Asian companies that compete with them. When was the last time you bought a tractor? Mahindra, Kubota, New Holland Ag, Case-Farmall and Massey-Ferguson. Have you looked at the competitive landscape?

timthorn 10y ago
Most of that list are American or European.

vvanders 10y ago

Yup, and longer. Heavy equipment is built to a different standard, our Compact Utility Tractor is ~30 years old and still going strong.

zaragossa 10y ago

> This is not an easy market to disrupt... the barrier to entry for ... This is the way of thinking of the poor. The rich don't think like that.

RevHaze 10y ago
The rich don't understand barriers to entry? Sure, throw enough money at the barrier and you can climb it, but that's not so much a revolutionary state of mind as it is just having enough money to try something expensive.
YCode 10y ago
You can think however you like, the barrier doesn't care.

prodmerc 10y ago

What about replacing only the software? Or will they claim it's illegal and you still don't own the hardware?

askvictor 10y ago
How would you make money off this?
adrianN 10y ago
Then they'll only allow signed software to run. Trying to start a business on a hostile platform doesn't sound like a good idea.

noonespecial 10y ago

Then again, if you come up with a little harvester that autonomously harvests 1/4 acre, fits in a suitcase and costs $100, you just might sell millions. People will want better $500k harvesters like they want Zeppelins with more lift or faster steam ships.

alexvoda 10y ago
I do actually want a Zeppelin. Having a residence floating in the air is kinda cool I think.