Victor Frankenstein (film, 2015), as a screened example of a technology startup
Long before the words "innovation" and "startup" entered the lexicon, there were stories that evolved according to the canons of a startup or a technological innovation company. Such real examples are the introduction of mobile letter publishing (Johann Guttenberg, 1448-1455), the opening of X-ray and the entry into the market with the creation of new niches (Wilhelm Röntgen, 1895-1919), or the fictional Mary Shelley character Victor Frankenstein, who has been crammed with times, but the film of 2015 (20th Century Fox), in my opinion, very well describes the development of a technology startup commercializing innovative development. In this article, I will look at the film as the history of a technology startup with its mistakes, problem statement, markets, prototyping, etc. All pictures for attracting attention are taken from publicly available sources (Film Search).
Next, there are spoilers from the film, the reader chooses the need to disclose the kata at its discretion.
The chronology of the film adaptation virtually completely repeats the startup life cycle - the idea, technology, collection and motivation of the team, the development of markets and testing the idea among the masses, the creation and demonstration of the Proof of Concept (PoC) within the team, the development of a small prototype and its demonstration to a venture investor, an investor presentation, investor entry into the team and investment in the development of a large prototype due to errors, in the end we see fail. We describe the key stages, as well as the key errors at these stages.
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Team
The protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, is the ideologist, task planner and CEO of a technology creation project (this is important, technology is being worked out at all stages, and monetization is assumed through the sale of technology), which can move from the dead state of the once-living mammals to the living, while preserving intelligence. From the point of view of social status, a senior medical student who later completely abandons his studies (a typical start-up story). Realizing that he has enough skills in practical anatomy, he is looking for such a person. By chance, which often happens in the formation of a primary startup team, without using the services of recruitment agencies (Question: “Were there such services then?”), He finds such a person - a nameless hunchback in a circus tent. Initially, Igor (the name that the hunchback assigned to Viktor previously belonged to his lodger) is poorly motivated, he is in his “comfort zone” and does not want to leave it. However, the motivator of getting out of the “comfort zone” was the burning of books on anatomy (indirectly arranged by Victor), ridding the hunchback of a hump and providing resources. From all this we can conclude that Victor, in addition to the above-mentioned competences, also has a talent for social engineering.
Initial resources
Victor in the basement of his house in London, organized a "garage lab". Wrong, as Igor finds out, collected by PoC on the basis of Igor's partner, who, according to Victor, died from a drug overdose. The financial resources necessary for the creation of the primary prototype (based on animal parts, most of the primate), these resources were provided by the father, the line of funding was training. The main item of expenditure is the purchase of parts of the bodies of animals or people (the price list is given in the film)
Idea and technology
Idea. The transition from death to life through the transfer and transformation of energy in a special saline solution. "Death can be cured" (C) Victor.
Technical implementation. The various parts of the mammalian bodies with the corresponding functional purpose are electric and anatomically connected and pumped up with solution. High voltage is supplied with the help of the "plug of Lazarus" to the designated places of "launch".
Testing technology is based on the "launch" of individual parts of the body.
Prototype 1
Assembled conscientiously by Igor and Victor on the basis of drawings of the early Victor. Initially, only Victor worked on it. Main features: 2/3 of the body is not working, there is no intelligence, the size is small, the parts of the body of a small anthropoid ape are used. Errors in Prototype 1: - incomplete performance; - unchecked the possibility of managing the prototype; - the main characteristics of DOs to demonstration to potential investors are not clear.
Market testing and search for interested parties
Occurs in a club where it turns out that the market is not ready for such innovations (fear of innovation). In the course of communication with visitors, such market segments as B2G (restoring the health of wounded soldiers) and B2C (resurrection of loved ones, curing diseases, etc.) were considered. Also, the club is networking to search for additional team members or their motivators (for example, Igor finds a person working in an escort for a person who is not interested in girls, his old acquaintance in a circus that he once saved). It is worth noting about the public announcement (invitation) to the investor presentation.
Investor Presentation
The main mistake of this presentation, it was not prepared and rehearsed . Bad story, broken prototype from the first, and so on. However, all the main things were reflected - this is customer pain and the market, and even a possible monetization model. As a result, the first agreement with the investor was concluded, but it did not consider and agreed upon exit mechanisms and internal and investor motives. Separately, during the demonstration, the fundamentals of safety were completely neglected when working with potentially dangerous prototypes, which cannot be done either.
Investor motives
The purpose of investment: creating a prototype with increased size (including duplication of vital systems) and with intelligence; development of technology for mass use. Output: due to mass prototyping. Internal goal: the creation of the army (not consistent with the philosophy of Victor). Such motives gave rise to conflict in Victor’s team (which led to the disintegration of the team and in fact an attempt on Igor’s life), as well as a lack of understanding in the subsequent use of the product.
Regulatory risks
A very important point that runs through the whole story is regulatory risks. The main provider of these risks is the inspector who works on his own initiative. Motivator - faith in God (and not laws that do not regulate this segment of the market / R & D). Basic theses: life is not a theory, nature should not understand pity, chemistry does not produce life, and so on. up to the "non-imposing". The inspector is active against prototyping, using his administrative resource. Even the inspector’s “pain”, the death of his wife from cancer, does not open his eyes to Victor’s innovative approach.
An additional provider of these risks was Victor's father, who deprived him of funding and the laboratory. The solution to these regulatory risks was the transfer of research to another jurisdiction (the family estate of the investor in Scotland) and the replacement of resources with investor resources. In fact, Victor Frankenstein became the chief technologist at the investor’s R & D laboratory, i.e. lost ip .
Prototype 2 and failure
When creating prototype 2 (a large homunculus with the presence of intelligence), the following problems were solved: - energy supply (2 hearts); - respiration (2 pairs of lungs); - masses; and even q izayna (flat skull). Initially, the drawings of this prototype in the team of Igor and Victor, but the final assembly of the prototype took place already at the investor site. To start, it was also necessary to develop and create a new high-power power supply system. Omitting the artistic details, I will describe the failures of this prototype:
findings
The film Victor Frankenstein showed an excellent example of the life cycle of a technology startup that is trying to enter the market with innovative technology. Obviously, this startup failed at the end, but as you know, at best, 1 out of 10 succeeds. However, this film clearly shows some important development problems , which modern technological startups should not forget: - not to rush into building prototype functionality; - prepare for investor presentations; - discuss all the important moments with the investor and the team "on land"; - correctly protect their intellectual property; - take into account even non-obvious risks.
Enjoy and Stay tuned!
Next, there are spoilers from the film, the reader chooses the need to disclose the kata at its discretion.
The chronology of the film adaptation virtually completely repeats the startup life cycle - the idea, technology, collection and motivation of the team, the development of markets and testing the idea among the masses, the creation and demonstration of the Proof of Concept (PoC) within the team, the development of a small prototype and its demonstration to a venture investor, an investor presentation, investor entry into the team and investment in the development of a large prototype due to errors, in the end we see fail. We describe the key stages, as well as the key errors at these stages.
')
Team
The protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, is the ideologist, task planner and CEO of a technology creation project (this is important, technology is being worked out at all stages, and monetization is assumed through the sale of technology), which can move from the dead state of the once-living mammals to the living, while preserving intelligence. From the point of view of social status, a senior medical student who later completely abandons his studies (a typical start-up story). Realizing that he has enough skills in practical anatomy, he is looking for such a person. By chance, which often happens in the formation of a primary startup team, without using the services of recruitment agencies (Question: “Were there such services then?”), He finds such a person - a nameless hunchback in a circus tent. Initially, Igor (the name that the hunchback assigned to Viktor previously belonged to his lodger) is poorly motivated, he is in his “comfort zone” and does not want to leave it. However, the motivator of getting out of the “comfort zone” was the burning of books on anatomy (indirectly arranged by Victor), ridding the hunchback of a hump and providing resources. From all this we can conclude that Victor, in addition to the above-mentioned competences, also has a talent for social engineering.
Initial resources
Victor in the basement of his house in London, organized a "garage lab". Wrong, as Igor finds out, collected by PoC on the basis of Igor's partner, who, according to Victor, died from a drug overdose. The financial resources necessary for the creation of the primary prototype (based on animal parts, most of the primate), these resources were provided by the father, the line of funding was training. The main item of expenditure is the purchase of parts of the bodies of animals or people (the price list is given in the film)
Idea and technology
Idea. The transition from death to life through the transfer and transformation of energy in a special saline solution. "Death can be cured" (C) Victor.
Technical implementation. The various parts of the mammalian bodies with the corresponding functional purpose are electric and anatomically connected and pumped up with solution. High voltage is supplied with the help of the "plug of Lazarus" to the designated places of "launch".
Testing technology is based on the "launch" of individual parts of the body.
Prototype 1
Assembled conscientiously by Igor and Victor on the basis of drawings of the early Victor. Initially, only Victor worked on it. Main features: 2/3 of the body is not working, there is no intelligence, the size is small, the parts of the body of a small anthropoid ape are used. Errors in Prototype 1: - incomplete performance; - unchecked the possibility of managing the prototype; - the main characteristics of DOs to demonstration to potential investors are not clear.
Market testing and search for interested parties
Occurs in a club where it turns out that the market is not ready for such innovations (fear of innovation). In the course of communication with visitors, such market segments as B2G (restoring the health of wounded soldiers) and B2C (resurrection of loved ones, curing diseases, etc.) were considered. Also, the club is networking to search for additional team members or their motivators (for example, Igor finds a person working in an escort for a person who is not interested in girls, his old acquaintance in a circus that he once saved). It is worth noting about the public announcement (invitation) to the investor presentation.
Investor Presentation
The main mistake of this presentation, it was not prepared and rehearsed . Bad story, broken prototype from the first, and so on. However, all the main things were reflected - this is customer pain and the market, and even a possible monetization model. As a result, the first agreement with the investor was concluded, but it did not consider and agreed upon exit mechanisms and internal and investor motives. Separately, during the demonstration, the fundamentals of safety were completely neglected when working with potentially dangerous prototypes, which cannot be done either.
Investor motives
The purpose of investment: creating a prototype with increased size (including duplication of vital systems) and with intelligence; development of technology for mass use. Output: due to mass prototyping. Internal goal: the creation of the army (not consistent with the philosophy of Victor). Such motives gave rise to conflict in Victor’s team (which led to the disintegration of the team and in fact an attempt on Igor’s life), as well as a lack of understanding in the subsequent use of the product.
Regulatory risks
A very important point that runs through the whole story is regulatory risks. The main provider of these risks is the inspector who works on his own initiative. Motivator - faith in God (and not laws that do not regulate this segment of the market / R & D). Basic theses: life is not a theory, nature should not understand pity, chemistry does not produce life, and so on. up to the "non-imposing". The inspector is active against prototyping, using his administrative resource. Even the inspector’s “pain”, the death of his wife from cancer, does not open his eyes to Victor’s innovative approach.
An additional provider of these risks was Victor's father, who deprived him of funding and the laboratory. The solution to these regulatory risks was the transfer of research to another jurisdiction (the family estate of the investor in Scotland) and the replacement of resources with investor resources. In fact, Victor Frankenstein became the chief technologist at the investor’s R & D laboratory, i.e. lost ip .
Prototype 2 and failure
When creating prototype 2 (a large homunculus with the presence of intelligence), the following problems were solved: - energy supply (2 hearts); - respiration (2 pairs of lungs); - masses; and even q izayna (flat skull). Initially, the drawings of this prototype in the team of Igor and Victor, but the final assembly of the prototype took place already at the investor site. To start, it was also necessary to develop and create a new high-power power supply system. Omitting the artistic details, I will describe the failures of this prototype:
- There is NO way to make a lot of changes when creating the next prototype version in a technology startup. This is a classic mistake, due to a lack of understanding of the complexity of the systems, and the lack of the necessary competencies in the team. The correct path of development in such a situation is “step by step” (first we will check the transfer of the intellect, then the size, then the power system, and merge into a whole.NoteNot the fact that it will work.
- The system of destruction of the prototype is not worked out at all, in fact, this caused the startup to fail.
findings
The film Victor Frankenstein showed an excellent example of the life cycle of a technology startup that is trying to enter the market with innovative technology. Obviously, this startup failed at the end, but as you know, at best, 1 out of 10 succeeds. However, this film clearly shows some important development problems , which modern technological startups should not forget: - not to rush into building prototype functionality; - prepare for investor presentations; - discuss all the important moments with the investor and the team "on land"; - correctly protect their intellectual property; - take into account even non-obvious risks.
Enjoy and Stay tuned!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/296944/
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