When to throw in the towel?

A presentation on when it might be time to give up on your startup.

Transcript

1. When to throw in the towel? Ricardo J. Méndez ricardo@samsungnext.com @argesric October 12, 2019
2. • Technical Director @ Samsung NEXT • Venture investments on software innovation, early stage • Recovering entrepreneur • Software engineer • Privacy and open source advocate Who am I?
3. Speaking, not a speech. What are we talking about?
4. When to throw in the towel? What are we talking about?
5. Failure states and how to spot them. What are we talking about?
6. Failure is defined by what you want to achieve. What are we talking about?
7. Know what you want to achieve. 
 
 Keep going for as long as it is achievable. What are we talking about?
8. When to throw in the towel? Failure states
9. If it’s not running out of money, it’s not a startup. Failure states
10. “A startup is an organization formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.” Failure states — Steve Blank
11. • When the market invalidates your premises. • When you missed your window. • When the timing is wrong. • When you are the wrong person for the job. • When you end up running the wrong kind of business. • When you have commitment issues. • When you are a zombie. When to stop searching?
12. Not on this list: investors passing. Failure states
13. When your premises are invalidated. Failure states
14. When you missed your window. Failure states
15. When the timing is wrong. Failure states
16. When you are the wrong person for the job. Failure states
17. When you end up running the wrong kind of business. Failure states
18. When you have commitment issues. Failure states
19. When you are a zombie. Failure states
20. When to throw in the towel? Anything I missed? Ricardo J. Méndez ricardo@samsungnext.com @argesric