6MS Eye Piece 19 Sep 2011 – The new KISS Principle?

Is the new KISS Principle  – Keep It Simple Start-up?

I was reading a piece from SF Gate – Silicon Valley lowering the bar on innovation – which raises the question what is the best strategy these days for a technology start up?

On the one hand UK entrepreneurs are criticised for not building world class technology companies – Dr Lynch excepted – and yet it appears that the market is rewarding simple, fast to market ideas which are frankly innovation-lite.

This may be a symptom of the current frothy market; the SFGate article quotes Max Levchin (co-founder of PayPal and founder of Slide) asking where are the big ideas?  Silicon Valley it seems wants to invest in “fast to market- fast to exit” derivative ideas rather than taking a more arduous, longer and riskier route with more complex and original ideas.

I regularly see young entrepreneurs with very interesting products and solutions but non of this will give them any encouragement when seeking funding for their businesses.

Perhaps this is a phase and when the froth has blown off this market, the entrepreneurs and the investors will go back to the drawing board and start innovating again?

What do YOU think?

If you like this please RT.  If you would like to receive more from me, The Six Minute Strategist, please come over to my site and join my mailing list.  You can comment below or email me at john[at]jbdcolley[dot]com.