What is Often Lost- the next Great Idea

One must lament the loss of great ideas, the bright shoots that fail to thrive due to a lack of nurturing, the inability to find financial sustenance, unfortunate timing for a respective concept’s marketing season, or simply not a loud enough voice to be heard over the chatter of the crowd.

The failure of great ideas to take hold is a collective tragedy as despite what each of us perceives about our narrow view of the world in which we live, work, and ideate we have parallels doing the same in every sector of the global economy.? Not unlike the flap of a butterfly’s wings in some far region being the eventual trigger of a tropical storm, a clever idea in central Africa can be the catalyst for a groundbreaking insurance idea in Portugal, or Mexico, or New Zealand- if the idea is adequately fostered at its infancy.

To this idea it must be recognized that the source of the idea, the person or persons from which the seed of thought was propagated invest much time and energy in the idea’s birth and early growth, with typically meager resources from which the idea’s development rely.? Sweat equity becomes the water that keeps the idea vibrant and fresh as the developers search for assistance from outside the close group of from which ideation began its focus.

Ideation groups are persistent and convinced of a concept’s worth; efforts are expended convincing friends and family members to endorse the efforts with contributions and support, whether tangible or emotional, finances or connections to those who may have such resources.? In spite of ‘barriers of disinterest’ the concept owners, or founders forge on because they know their idea has worth.

Clearly not all ideas are great ideas, or right ideas, or practical ideas, or economically viable ideas, legal ideas, etc.? Agreeing that ideas fail to get attention or support is reality, but should that reality be due to a lack of extension of risk by those organizations whose sole role is to invest in new ideas? If ideas are like fresh produce sold at local markets, new and vibrant in colors, odors, and textures, are financial supporters failing to enjoy the recently picked and are relying solely on the idea ‘merchandise’ packaged and presented in formal environments??

I read recently that a very large, global organization that invests capital in startups has as its placement philosophy to actively source hundreds of capital placements with the expectation of success from a handful of same.? That organization makes an effort to vet ideas that may be overlooked or simply not found, invest in many and in knowing success will be lucrative and failure not debilitating (due to relatively small tickets being needed for table stakes).

The answer to significant challenges within economics, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, global warming, and other major issues before us ARE out there if we simply look beyond our own idea and geographical frontiers.? Each week it seems I am exposed to fresh ideas and refreshing optimism for same from many corners of the globe, whether it’s an insurance scheme in Burundi, health care financing idea in Lima, clever cancer testing concept in Bengaluru, innovative financial valuation method being developed in Lisbon, IoT leveraging software out of Sydney, pay as you go comprehensive motor insurance in Lagos, medical tourism between regions hosted from India, or third party insurance sold and administered through WhatsApp bots.? Clever, all of them.? Nurtured by the core of each idea’s conceptual birth.? Each eager to get a little support from outside interests.

Margeaux Giles , CEO of Iryis voiced the startup’s perspective well in a recent Linked In posting:

“Startup life is a grind. But! It’s also the absolute best time because if you’re lucky you find your tribe. Do we work hard? Yes. I wake up every single morning, turn on my computer, and love what I do, who I do it with, and who I do it for.”

What can be added to Margeaux’s thoughts are, “We do it with limited resources, with sweat from our brow, knowing our idea has merit and eager to explain same to those right persons or companies that have the foresight to risk a little financial sustenance to a budding idea.”

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Are you that forward thinker, the sustainer of ideas??