Recession is the Mother of Tech Invention

“Run on limited resources and you’ll be forced to reckon with constraints…And that’s a good thing. Constraints drive innovation.”
—from Getting Real, by 37Signals

What’s an entrepreneur? It’s someone who, given limited resources and terrible odds, can create something truly great; when life gives you lemons, build a multi-million dollar company.

Productivity app maker 37Signals has become as famous for its philosophy as its products: “Less is More”, went the mantra. From Getting Real, the company’s 2006 manual for the web-dev set: “The answer is less. Do less than your competitors to beat them…Instead of oneupping, try one-downing. Instead of outdoing, try underdoing.” Constraints, goes the thesis, unleash creativity: less money, less people, less time…all these things force creative solutions to problems.

And suddenly startups have less money. Everyone does.

More About Less

The concept isn’t new. You could quote Frank Lloyd Wright: “‘Man built most nobly when limitations were at their greatest.” Or G. K. Chesterton: “There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.” Or Thomas Huxley: “A man’s worst difficulties begin when he is able to do as he likes.” (There are dozens of these. Read more here.)

Alas, when times are good, sticking to your own advice is hard. 37Signals ignored their own guidance by taking funding in 2006.

Times are no longer good; choice is limited; creativity is key.

Beyond Cloud Castles: What To Do

I’m looking forward, with anticipation, to a new wave of necessity-driven innovation. More specifically, to a laser-sharp focus on business models. Let’s hope to see:

This is not an attempt at contrarian positivity in a crisis. Not at all. More simply: the money tree has stopped bearing fruit. Conditions are perfect, then, for entrepreneurship to flourish.

(Image courtesy of macieklew)

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