The Office Hours discussion last week went in directions I did not foresee.
The Group started out talking about what an early-stage company can do to set itself up to be acquired at a good price. Someone mentioned networks of contributors and open-source products being a particular asset they were developing. They were not looking to increase acquisition value but rather to build a sustainable operating business. This resonated with and piqued the interest of several participants.
From there we start to explore the values of networks. How to foster and support them, what motivates them? Is it good will, trust, identity, perceived ownership? Who owns the IP they create? Many examples were to hand about specific projects, ranging from GitHub QT, and Docker as well as physical products like sneakers and cameras.
This coming week Jonathan McBride CEO of FotoStax and the Judge Business School MBA Programme is going to expand on his thinking about networks, community and how the resulting ecosystems can add value to a nascent business.
RSVP here: