startups, volcanoes, and texting refrigerators
DESCRIPTION
Given at Harvard's HackWeek 2014TRANSCRIPT
@ Harvard Hackweek
Startups, Volcanoes, and Texting Refrigerators
WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?
Sam Dunn CEO
@sdunn !
!
Zach Dunn CPO
@zachdunn !
!
is a
DIGITAL PRODUCT COMPANY
believes
DIGITAL IS BIGGER THAN A SCREEN
BY THE NUMBERS
4 years in business 15 people + 1 apprentice
2x growth every year 0 dollars in investment
ONE TINY ROARThe road to mightier things
Birthplace of Volleyball. !
(You learned something today. You’re welcome.) !!!
HOLYOKE
BUILDINTERNET.COM
• “Learn out loud” blog started in 2008
• Wrote about development, design, and (allegedly) business.
• Top 10 web development blog between 2008-2010
• Limp Bizkit, Lady Gaga, and Batman (among others) use our code.
• Yes. That Batman.
“Can you make a custom version…?”
Lesson
Adoption is teaching people to ask for the right things.
NEW PAINT
It was expensive to change our desktop background !!!!
HOLYOKE 2: THE SEQUEL
First client without “…and what do they do?” as a follow up question.
!!!
MASSACHUSETTS
The foothold to Boston !!!!
CAMBRIDGE
YOURATHER.COM
Available on web, iOS, & Android
Would you rather...
Show your friends and family your entire internet history !
or !
Live near an active volcano?
Would you rather...
Show your friends and family your entire internet history ! !
Live near an active volcano?
39% (111,476 votes)
61% (174,223 votes)
Traffic
Over 1/3 billion responses
~1 million views per day
Lesson
You’re the only one who knows what you haven’t had time to build yet. Ship like you’re ignorant.
!
…also people really love Matt Damon.
BOSTON
HOW DO YOU PICK A GOOD PROBLEM?
Let’s use time travel.
TITLE
“By 6 a.m., a new gallon will be on your doorstep, thanks to a microchip sensor embedded in the milk carton and transmitted to an Internet device on your kitchen counter. !It’s the latest battle in cyberspace. And it’s coming soon to your refrigerator.”
Does it get you… laid, paid, or made?
No really.
Laid MadePaid
Laid MadePaid
For connected devices…
NSFW ??
TITLE
When Nikon wanted to showcase their new Android-powered camera at SXSW, Robin powered an RFID tagging app.
Attendees snapped pictures and then scanned their wristband to upload tagged photos to their Facebook.
featured it as one of the best influencer marketing
campaigns of 2013
TITLETITLE
TITLETITLE
Lesson
Customers are feature sponsors if you build products they want.
getrobin.com
getrobin.com
• Robin is a web platform for connected devices + data
• Simple to build interactions between physical + digital things with identity.
• Helps software ask better questions about the real world.
• “What’s the quietest available conference room right now?”
TITLE The Internet of Things today
CONNECTED DEVICE
THE INTERNET
API + BACKEND
CONNECTED DEVICE
API + BACKEND
CONNECTED DEVICE
API + BACKEND
TITLE We think this one is easier
CONNECTED DEVICE
THE INTERNET
CONNECTED DEVICE CONNECTED DEVICE
IDENTITY COMPANION + WEB PLATFORM (API + BACKEND)
TITLE
MANIPULATORS
BASE STATION (HARDWARE OR APP)
How we interface with the physical world
Universal Device + Signal Translator. Connected directly to internet. 3RD PARTY API
SENSORS
Outputs. Things that “write” to the environment.
3rd party devices with internet can connect directly.
Inputs. Things that “read” from the environment.
EXAMPLESEstimote Beacons are sensors. Lockitron is a manipulator. Nest Thermostat is both a manipulator and a sensor.
Physical Digital
WEB PLATFORM
IDENTITY
Context. People who are in the environment.
TITLE
HOW TO BUSINESS GOOD
FIRST RULE
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Extend the same courtesy to others.
SECOND RULE
Don’t spend the majority of your time working to enjoy the minority of your time.
THIRD RULE
Invest in the people around you.
READ THESE
Made to Stick - Heath Brothers Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely
ReWork - Jason Fried
WATCH THIS
Why 30 is not the new 20 - Meg Jay
Lesson
TBD
THANK YOU