Lessons from asuccessful

but unscalable startup

October 11th, 2011The Founder Institute, Amsterdam

Lessons from asuccessful

but unscalable startup

October 11th, 2011The Founder Institute, Amsterdam

@fnauta

1993 1997 1999 2000 2003 2005

Startup=

Greatest tool to realize your dream

My dream:Catalyst for a smarter country

"Vision in action":

• Think Tank creates new vision for Netherlands

• Translates it into projects

• Help with kickstarting projects

• Give them away

• Organize learning around it

My dream:Catalyst for a smarter country

"Vision in action":

• Think Tank creates new vision for Netherlands

• Translates it into projects

• Help with kickstarting projects

• Give them away

• Organize learning around it

Target: 2002 elections knowledge economy is central in coalition agreement

On the The Founder Institute scale

• Meaningful: certainly, but on local scale

• Enduring: hardly

• Technology: no

Digital Playground

Lesson:Ask for real commitment

2002: Fit

• We got a 'CFO'

• Restructures in first month

• Businessmodel clear

- From Sponsor-model, to Consultancy, to service- & projectbureau

• Research in other countries, such as Finland

• First substantial profit

2003:Mission accomplished

• We create Knowledge economy hype

• and we become a hype

• Knowledge economy is part of the coalition agreement

• I start working in The Hague as secretary of innovation for the Prime Minister

Lesson:Acquisition is not holy

Lessons on money

• Avoid what seems easy money (subsidy, sponsors), it makes you stupid and creates huge transactional costs (and find a launching customer)

• Even if you think money is not important, you still need a scalable business model, or you will get bored

Lessons on me

• Startup is the best way to discover your strengths and weaknesses, make sure you find great people to cover your weaknesses

• Working > 80 hours structurally is not cool, it means you're not organized effectively and wearing yourself out

• A startup is a marathon: see yourself as a top sporter, and take care of yourself that way

Lessons on people

• It's amazing how easy it is to get people to listen to you if you truly believe in something

• Your team is by far your most important asset, so never accept anyone in the team because he's 'a friend of a friend' or because he's just 'OK'

• Find truly great coaches and mentors (not famous ones, they are to busy)

More lessons

• Look outside the Netherlands

• Design is crucial, the love for detail shows you are really serious about your dream

• You'll be pretty incompatible with large

organizations after doing a startup