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The problem with commercialized research is more the attitudes of the founders than what they're building. They usually approach starting a startup as a soluti
by pg 14y ago
The problem with commercialized research is more the attitudes of the founders than what they're building. They usually approach starting a startup as a solution in search of a problem. Sun (and Google) were exceptions in that even while working on the project within a university, they were building a product. We'd love to fund that kind of project, but they're rare.
- ThomPete 14y agoBut couldn't that be said about Facebook too?
- nswanberg 14y agoFacebook was born in a university dorm room, not a university lab (or department lounge). Facebook is a great product, and has spawned some interesting technology created to solve a massive scaling problem, but what cause the scaling problem to begin with was a product created with a good intuition for what people love, built with some existing, not academic, technologies.
- ThomPete 14y agoI was more thinking about the problem looking for a solution part.
- DanBC 14y agoDo they know you're there? Do they realise that they can do interesting research, and build a product, and get a chance at funding from you? Has anyone tried to solve that publicity problem?
- waterlesscloud 14y agoIsn't the fact that they're rare his point?
- herdrick 14y agoNo, Steve is saying ... material science, sensors, robotics, medical devices, life sciences, etc... VCs whose firms would have looked at these deals or invested in these sectors, are now only interested in whether it runs on a smart phone or tablet. Paul is saying that founders aren't coming to him with the former sort of startups.