Get ready for a new eCorner experience!
Later this summer, eCorner will become part of the website for STVP, the Stanford Engineering Entrepreneurship Center. You'll be able to access all eCorner content at stvp.stanford.edu. Existing links and bookmarks will redirect. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!

Rethinking the Product Development Process

Steve Blank, Stanford University

The canonical product development model – concept, develop, alpha, beta, first customer, ship – is how Silicon Valley grew strong. But why does this process to build a business only succeed part of the time? And how can early stage ventures reduce their overall risk? Serial entrepreneur Steve Blank points out that most founding partners strongly focus on product and ship. But too often, startups confuse engineering’s accomplishments with marketing and sales success, and they pop the champagne corks too soon.