This presentation was delivered to final year Computer Science and Software Engineering students at University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Insititute of Technology in September 2014.

1. Introduction to Startups
for
Computer Science students
September 2014
Leni Mayo
twitter.com/lenidot
leni at moniker dot net

2. Lets start with the big picture

3. Why take risk?

4. Entrepreneur as risk-bearer
Richard Cantillon
(1725)

5. Entrepreneurship contd.
Origin: French, from entreprendre 'undertake’
Oxford Dictionary: taking on financial risks in the
hope of profit
1803, JB Say, an entrepreneur:
shifts economic resources out of an area of lower
and into an area of higher productivity

6. What is a startup?
• High Risk
• High Return
• Large Market

7. The meaning of words is contestable

8. Silicon Valley
Historical period for Silicon Valley – eg Florence during the Renaissance.
Thought leadership around startups.
Common memes: “change the world” and “shoot for the moon”.
Silicon Valley has a 100-year history and a highly specialised ecosystem incl oceans of
money and hundreds of big-name brands. All of which heavily colours the
outlook.
Money with megaphones: incentives to influence culture in specific ways
Your context is very different. Don’t drink the coolade.
Reflect on what you read. Adapt what’s useful to your circumstances.
Most of your learning will/should come from first-hand direct experience.

9. Nor is Silicon Valley the only successful model

11. German-speaking countries
• Mittlestand Germany: 50% of GDP
• Highly focused
• Innovative and high-value product
• Do one thing really well  economies of scale
• Leadership in worldwide niche
• This pattern is seen in Australia too:
– 3 people, $2m revenue, aspiring to 8
people and $5m revenue
– engineering and management often
stronger than marketing and brand skills

12. Also of interest:
Boulder, NYC, Israel and China

13. Melbourne culture
Sail away ... by Manfred Bartels
http://pixdaus.com/?sort=tag&tag=sailing%20ship

14. That’s enough big picture.
Any questions?

15. Roles at a Tech Startup
Make it
Sell it
What critical role is missing?

16. Product / Market Fit
Make something that people want
(Paul Graham)

17. When uncertainty is high
it’s a different ball game

18. Tell me exactly what you want
and
I will build it
Is the road to failure
Strategy and practice develop in parallel

19. Lets play a game

20. Don’t invest in dead ends

21. Fast feedback allows us
to exploit the value of emerging information
(Don Reinertsen)

22. Computer Science uses construction metaphors:
engineering, architecture, design

24. Startups feel more like biology.
Start small and grow
Sense and respond to environment
Continual evolution

26. Continually
Put working software
Into the hands of users

27. T
shaped people

28. Resources
Where What Why
startupvictoria.com.au Startup Victoria Community of like-minded people
tinalleybeta.com.au Tin Alley Beta Work experience at a local startup
12factor.net The 12 Factor App A (good) way to build web apps
reinertsenassociates.com Don Reinertsen Product Development

29. Questions? Comments?
Ask now (or later).
leni@moniker.net