Comments on: What to do with a failed startup? http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/ A blog about killer code Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:17:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michael F. Martin http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-110 Michael F. Martin Thu, 08 May 2008 18:10:25 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-110 @jaisen I absolutely agree. Again I'm sorry to be so cryptic, but here's another piece of the puzzle: http://brokensymmetry.typepad.com/broken_symmetry/2008/05/what-the-foundi.html Also, I am not a believer in the efficient-market notion that risk and returns must be correlated. @jaisen

I absolutely agree.

Again I’m sorry to be so cryptic, but here’s another piece of the puzzle:

http://brokensymmetry.typepad.com/broken_symmetry/2008/05/what-the-foundi.html

Also, I am not a believer in the efficient-market notion that risk and returns must be correlated.

]]> By: Michael F. Martin http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-109 Michael F. Martin Thu, 08 May 2008 18:06:34 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-109 Another hint: http://brokensymmetry.typepad.com/broken_symmetry/2008/05/what-the-foundi.html Another hint:

http://brokensymmetry.typepad.com/broken_symmetry/2008/05/what-the-foundi.html

]]> By: jaisen http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-87 jaisen Thu, 08 May 2008 06:41:14 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-87 @Michael, I guess it depends on how valuable the technology is and how worn out the founders are. In some cases it's a catch 22 because by the time founders are ready to put it all on the line they might not have much left in them. @Michael, I guess it depends on how valuable the technology is and how worn out the founders are. In some cases it’s a catch 22 because by the time founders are ready to put it all on the line they might not have much left in them.

]]> By: Michael F. Martin http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-86 Michael F. Martin Wed, 07 May 2008 15:07:01 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-86 For what it's worth, here's a link to another post about how IP is no longer a great barrier to entry. http://1vc.typepad.com/soaring_on_ridgelift/2008/05/barriers-to-ent.html The two problems are two sides of the same coin. For what it’s worth, here’s a link to another post about how IP is no longer a great barrier to entry.

http://1vc.typepad.com/soaring_on_ridgelift/2008/05/barriers-to-ent.html

The two problems are two sides of the same coin.

]]> By: Michael F. Martin http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-85 Michael F. Martin Wed, 07 May 2008 03:47:42 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-85 Sorry can't say more. Check out the post on Stranded R&D for more details. Sorry can’t say more. Check out the post on Stranded R&D for more details.

]]> By: jaisen http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-84 jaisen Wed, 07 May 2008 03:35:39 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-84 @Michael...do you have a paragraph (or two) summary of the main points which your company addresses? I know it can be too complicated to boil down sometimes think it's worth a shot :) @Michael…do you have a paragraph (or two) summary of the main points which your company addresses? I know it can be too complicated to boil down sometimes think it’s worth a shot :)

]]> By: Michael F. Martin http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-83 Michael F. Martin Wed, 07 May 2008 03:28:53 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-83 There is a better way. I've founded a company uniquely focussed on solving this problem. http://brokensymmetry.typepad.com/broken_symmetry/2008/05/stranded-rd.html There is a better way. I’ve founded a company uniquely focussed on solving this problem.

http://brokensymmetry.typepad.com/broken_symmetry/2008/05/stranded-rd.html

]]> By: jaisen http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-82 jaisen Tue, 06 May 2008 07:32:39 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-82 @Joe, A competitor of ours did that. Zoto open sourced their media server. Open sourcing is a great idea for a few reasons: 1) You get to (hopefully) watch others use your product..which for entrepreneurs is often the ultimate goal. 2) I'm sure you get to meet some very interesting people and come in contact with other great developers or product managers. 3) You learn a whole helluva lot about writing configurable software. Don't be fooled...you can say better than me...but it's a LOT of work to do and maintain. @Joe, A competitor of ours did that. Zoto open sourced their media server. Open sourcing is a great idea for a few reasons:

1) You get to (hopefully) watch others use your product..which for entrepreneurs is often the ultimate goal.
2) I’m sure you get to meet some very interesting people and come in contact with other great developers or product managers.
3) You learn a whole helluva lot about writing configurable software.

Don’t be fooled…you can say better than me…but it’s a LOT of work to do and maintain.

]]> By: Joe http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/2008/04/30/what-to-do-with-a-failed-startup/#comment-81 Joe Tue, 06 May 2008 06:53:30 +0000 http://www.jaisenmathai.com/blog/?p=25#comment-81 I Open Sourced all of the software I'd written for my previous company when I shut it down (it was an Open Source based company anyway, and I'd planned to open all of it when the company was live and had just never found the time to do it while working for customers, but still...it's also what I'd do with my current startups products if it came to that). If it's got value for someone, they'll adopt it. If not, it'll rot. Nothing much else to be done about it, if you don't have an obvious buyer who you can convince will get value from the software without you to work on it. I Open Sourced all of the software I’d written for my previous company when I shut it down (it was an Open Source based company anyway, and I’d planned to open all of it when the company was live and had just never found the time to do it while working for customers, but still…it’s also what I’d do with my current startups products if it came to that).

If it’s got value for someone, they’ll adopt it. If not, it’ll rot. Nothing much else to be done about it, if you don’t have an obvious buyer who you can convince will get value from the software without you to work on it.

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