On Why Startups Matter…
A meaningful question?
Our seemingly global economy is teeming with entrepreneurship in all corners imaginable. Young entrepreneurs are on the quest to solve all sorts of problems, ranging from pollution control to energy production and food expiration. The dynamics today also range across various areas such as 3D Printing, big data and the almighty sharing economy.
But how important are startups to our societies really? The answer may be obvious! Startups are able to use their flexibility to spur innovations one cannot even come to conceive. It is this type of innovation that has brought us the industrial age followed by our modern digital age which has yielded numerous products and services known today. Moreover, it is no secret that small businesses employ a vast amount of people in our societies. Job creation is in high demand today and startups are certainly doing everything they can on their end. Consider how many young graduates are opting to work at a start up as opposed to chasing after a big name out there. Recent graduates are more interested in excitement as it would seem.
Now, it is important to also consider the role that startups play in driving our civilization forward, perhaps towards a type 1 civilization as coined by N. Kardashev. A glimpse at our planet today will show a range of issues; sustainable development being among these. Although scientists are constantly making discoveries of new planets along with the existence of water in our galaxy, it is noteworthy to mention that we are still stuck to our one spaceship called planet Earth. Hence, is it not be ideal to ensure the protection of the natural systems which allow us to live and thrive? One would think so, although it is obvious that sustainable development has yet to truly proliferate across the globe. Why? From our point of view, it is cost. Cleantech, although dropping in cost over the years as technology diffusion theory would suggest, is still an expensive luxury relative to the rotten remains of primeval swamp goo. Yet, while most people are preoccupied with cost, our natural systems are trying their best to cope with all sorts of things such as pollution and waste of all sorts. All of these being relatively new to the planet in its 4.5 billion years of existence due to the rise of mankind.
In this regard, startups and the disruptive innovations they put forth are the core for finding solutions to our most critical problems today. While incumbents tend to do a great job at improving the old, entrepreneurs understand that ‘we cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them’ (A. Einstein). Enabling access to the bottom of the pyramid whilst fighting non-consumption is most certainly a way to diffuse innovations that will result in the adoption of new technologies which will improve our sustainable development actions. While this argument may present itself as being good news only, it is also worthwhile to recognize the rebuke of startups that fail at attempting to do what they are supposed to do best — innovate. Such failures can also be used to learn about the routes not to take!
So what does it mean, if startups matter or not? One could take issue with rendering startups to only being useful for economic reasons, though it is much more interesting to point out the technological developments put forth by startups that are likely to impact our communities. As history has shown on numerous occasions, the development of new technology has furthered our civilization and has improved all aspects of our lives. Thus one can argue for startups being the key to solving the critical problems we are facing today.
Innovaris is a novel development organization that aims to assist startups and project owners in building and crossing the bridge towards the future. If you want to keep up with what we are up to simply follow us on twitter @innovaris_hq. Merci!
