The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds 565 - Dean Kamen and It
Jan 3, 2023
Dean Kamen, an acclaimed inventor renowned for transformative tech innovations, joins the discussion with sharp humor. They delve into Kamen’s colorful past, highlighting his teenage entrepreneurial spirit and whimsical inventions, including a chaotic demonstration of a robotic wheelchair. The conversation also touches on the curious legacy of the Segway, examining its rise and fall with comedic insights. Amidst tales of eccentricities in tech culture, they explore the absurdities of innovation, showcasing the lighter side of groundbreaking developments.
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Moonshot Culture = Big Wins, Big Costs
- Kamen encouraged moonshot engineering and tolerated creative detours, which drove innovation but bloated budgets.
- That culture produced breakthroughs but made projects like Fred/Ginger massively overbudget and delayed.
Jobs And Bezos Fawn Over It
- Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos tested Ginger and became enthusiastic unofficial backers despite secrecy.
- Jobs even offered tens of millions and later acted as an unpaid design adviser.
Secrecy Crippled Product Launch
- Kamen insisted on secrecy, refusing supplier transparency and testing, which crippled marketing and regulatory preparation.
- That secrecy delayed launches, alienated investors, and stunted realistic adoption planning.