Steve Blank

JANUARY 5, 2023

We just wrapped up the second year of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class – now part of our Stanford Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to 1) give our students an appreciation of the challenges and opportunities for the United States in its enduring strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China, Russia and other rivals, and 2) offer insights on how commercial technology (AI, machine

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Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Technology China 353

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 14, 2022

Join Jerry Engel , Pete Newell , and Steve Weinstein for the sixth edition of the Lean Innovation Educators Summit December 14, 1-4 pm Eastern Time, 10 am-1 pm Pacific Time. Register here. — This virtual gathering will bring together entrepreneurship educators from around the world who are putting Lean Innovation to work in their classrooms, accelerators, venture studios, and student-driven ventures.

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Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

My good friend Alexander Osterwalder , the inventor of the business model canvas (one of foundations of the Lean Methodology) has written a playbook (along with his associate partner Tendayi Viki ,) From Innovation Theater to Growth Engine to explain how to build and implement repeatable innovation processes inside a company. . Here’s their introduction to the key concepts inside the playbook.

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Portfolio Business Model Metrics Programming 367

Steve Blank

MAY 3, 2022

Portions of this post previously appeared in War On the Rocks. Looking at a satellite image of Ukraine online I realized it was from Capella Space – one of our Hacking for Defense student teams who now has 7 satellites in orbit. National Security is Now Dependent on Commercial Technology. They’re not the only startup in this fight. An entire wave of new startups and scaleups are providing satellite imagery and analysis, satellite communications, and unmanned aerial vehicles supporting th

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Steve Blank

JANUARY 19, 2022

SAVE THE DATE for the 5th Lean Innovation Educators Summit on The Role of Educators and the University in Building Sustainable and Innovative Ecosystems February 3rd, 2022 from 1 to 4pm EST, 10 to 1pm PST Join me, Jerry Engel, Pete Newell, and Steve Weinstein as well as educators from universities around the world for this upcoming event. The Summit brings together leading entrepreneurship educators who are putting Lean Innovation to work in their classrooms, accelerators, and students

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Steve Blank

JANUARY 11, 2022

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just had our final session of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to give our students insights on how commercial technology (AI, machine learning, autonomy, cyber, quantum, semiconductors, access to space, biotech, hypersonics, and others) will shape how we employ all the elements of national power (our influence and footprint on the world stage)

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Technical Review Technology Taiwan Venture Capital 281

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 26, 2021

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just completed the eighth week of our new national security class at Stanford – Technology, Innovation and Great Power Competition. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to cover how technology will shape the character and employment of all instruments of national power.

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Technology Russia Artificial Inteligence United States 307

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just completed the fifth week of our new national security class at Stanford – Technology, Innovation and Great Power Competition. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to cover how technology will shape all the elements of national power (America’s influence and footprint on the world stage).

Artificial Inteligence 351

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Technology Russia 351

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 4, 2021

Modern entrepreneurship began at the turn of the 21 st century with the observation that startups aren’t smaller versions of large companies – large companies at their core execute known business models, while startups search for scalable business models. Lean Methodology consists of three tools designed for entrepreneurs building new ventures: The Business Model Canvas – to write down all the hypotheses about a new business; Customer Development – a process for testing those hypotheses out

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Steve Blank

OCTOBER 19, 2021

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just had our second week of our new national security class at Stanford – Technology, Innovation and Great Power Competition. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to cover how technology will shape all the elements of national power (our influence and footprint on the world stage).

Technology 376

Technology China United States Russia 376

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 13, 2021

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just had our first week of our new national security class at Stanford – Technology, Innovation and Great Power Competition. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to cover how technology will shape all the elements of national power (our influence and footprint on the world stage).

Technology 421

Technology Russia China United States 421

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

You think startups are hard? Try innovating inside a large company where 99% of the company is executing the current business model, while you’re trying to figure out and build what comes next. Charles O’Reilly and Michael Tushman coined the term an “Ambidextrous Organization” to describe how some companies get this simultaneous execution and innovation process right.

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Steve Blank

JUNE 8, 2021

We just finished our 6th annual Hacking for Defense class at Stanford. What a year. With the pandemic winding down it finally feels like the beginning of the end. This was my sixth time teaching a virtual class during the lockdown – and for our students likely their 15th or more. Hacking for Defense has teams of students working to understand and solve national security problems.

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Steve Blank

JUNE 4, 2021

I was pleasantly surprised to hear from Suresh, an ex-student I’ve known for a long time. A U.S. citizen he was now the head of sales and marketing for a company in London selling medical devices to hospitals in the UK National Health Service. His boss had identified the U.S. as their next market and wanted him to set up a U.S. salesforce. Suresh understood that the U.S. health system was very different from the system in the UK, not just the regulatory regime through the FDA, but the reimburse

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Steve Blank

MAY 19, 2021

As Director of the U.S. Army’s Rapid Equipping Force Pete Newell delivered innovation at speed and scale in the Department of Defense. Pete is now CEO of BMNT, a company that delivers innovation solutions and processes for governments. Here are Pete’s 5 principles that will accelerate innovation. To help a large Defense organization wrestle with how to increase the velocity of innovation in their ranks Steve Blank and I spent the better part of last week with our heads together re

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Curation Technical Review Lean Australia 344

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

During the Cold War U.S. diplomatic and military alliances existed to defend freedom around the world. Today, these alliances are being reshaped to respond to Russian threats to the Baltics and Eastern Europe and to China’s economic, military, and technological influence worldwide. Hacking for Allies. The U.S. Department of Defense works with our allies to expand their industrial base.

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Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

A version of this article – co-authored with Raj Shah and Joe Felter – previously appeared in War On The Rocks. After hearing from 20+ guest speakers , including two Secretaries of Defense, Generals, Admirals and Policy makers in our Technology, Innovation and Modern War class – the direction of technology and the future of national security came into sharper focus.

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Steve Blank

JANUARY 28, 2021

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Steve Blank

JANUARY 6, 2021

Over the weekend I got asked the best way to teach students the principles of Lean via Zoom. One of the key lessons from our Educators Conference is that when teaching online complex information needs to be delivered to students in small, easily processed parts. I realized that pre-pandemic I had put together a series of two-minute videos called “See Why.

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Steve Blank

DECEMBER 28, 2020

With the theme “Build Back Better” Jerry Engel , Pete Newell , Steve Weinstein and I co-hosted nearly 500 Lean Educators from 63 countries and 235 universities online for a three-hour session to share what we’ve learned about educators on how we can help our communities rebound, adjust, and recover. We got insights from each other about tools, tips, techniques and best practices.

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Steve Blank

DECEMBER 21, 2020

We just held our eighteenth and final session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today General James Mattis addressed the class.

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Technology China Artificial Inteligence Silicon Valley 278

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 14, 2020

SAVE THE DATE for the 3rd edition of Lean Innovation Educators Summit. December 16th, 10 – 1pm PST, 1 – 4pm EST , 6 – 9pm UTC. In July 2020, 400+ educators gathered online to discuss and share best practices for Lean education in the virtual environment. We learned a ton. And we’re going to do it again. Join me, Jerry Engel, Pete Newell, and Steve Weinstein and over 1,000 educators from 65 countries and 220 universities for our next Lean Innovation Educators Summit.

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Milwaukee Wisconsin Lean Community 352

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 7, 2020

Last Friday the Secretary of Defense abruptly fired half of the Defense Business Board. For some reason, he forgot me. He appointed former Trump campaign officials Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie as chair and vice chair and nine other new members. The Defense Business Board is one of several advisory boards that serve as the pleasure of the Secretary of Defense.

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Steve Blank

DECEMBER 3, 2020

We just held our fifteenth session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today’s topic was Midterms with Congressman Mike Gallagher.

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Technical Review Technology China Taiwan 235

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

We just held our twelfth session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today’s topic was The Navy and Modern War.

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Technology DC Acquisition Silicon Valley 202

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

In July 2020, 400+ educators gathered online to discuss and share best practices for Lean education in the virtual environment. We learned a ton. And we’re going to do it again. Join me, Jerry Engel, Pete Newell, and Steve Weinstein for the 3rd edition of Lean Innovation Educators Summit on December 16th, 1 – 4pm EST , 6 – 9pm UTC. Why. COVID-19 has dramatically altered the business landscape.

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Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

We just held our twelfth session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today’s topic was The Space Force and Modern War.

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Technology United States Iraq Operations 284

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

We just held our eleventh session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today’s topic was Military Applications of Cyber.

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Technology Security Internet Video 306

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 21, 2020

We just held our seventh session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed the class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today’s topic was Military Applications of Artificial Intelligence.

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Artificial Inteligence Technology Agile Architecture 246

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 9, 2020

We just held our fourth sessions of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy. Today’s topic was Defense Strategies and Military Plans in an Era of Great Power Competition.

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Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

I’m teaching my first non-lean start up class in a decade at Stanford next week; Technology, Innovation and Modern War : Keeping America’s Edge in an Era of Great Power Competition. The class is joint listed in Stanford’s International Policy department as well as in the Engineering School, in the department of Management Science and Engineering. — Why This Course?

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Steve Blank

JULY 9, 2020

SAVE THE DATE for the Lean Innovation Educators Summit : Lessons from Teaching in the Pandemic. July 24, 10-noon Pacific, 1-3pm Eastern, 6-8pm London. As educators the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us all. W e’ve faced the challenges of teaching remotely, while virtually managing students scattered across the world, keeping students enthusiastic and engaged via video, helping them conduct customer discovery when they can’t get out of the building, and rolling with uncertain teac

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Steve Blank

JUNE 18, 2020

A version of this article appeared in War on the Rocks. Controlling advanced chip manufacturing in the 21st century may well prove to be like controlling the oil supply in the 20th. The country that controls this manufacturing can throttle the military and economic power of others. The United States just did this to China by limiting Huawei’s ability to outsource its in-house chip designs for manufacture by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a Taiwanese chip foundry.

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Steve Blank

JUNE 12, 2020

We just finished our 5th annual Hacking for Defense class at Stanford. What a year. At the end of the quarter each of the eight teams give a final “Lessons Learned” presentation. Unlike traditional demo days or Shark Tanks which are, “here’s how smart I am, please give me money,” a Lessons Learned presentation tells the teams’ stories of a 10-week journey of hard-won learning and discovery.

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Steve Blank

APRIL 27, 2020

Over the last month billions of people have been unwilling participants in the largest unintentional social experiment ever run – testing how video conferencing replaced face-to-face communication. While we’ve discovered that in many cases it can, more importantly we’ve discovered that, regardless of bandwidth and video resolution, these apps are missing the cues humans use when they communicate.

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Steve Blank

APRIL 16, 2020

Sheltering in place during the Covid-19 pandemic, my coffees with current and ex-students (entrepreneurs, as well as employees early in their careers) have gone virtual. Pre-pandemic these coffees were usually about what startup to join or how to find product/market fit. Though in the last month, even through Zoom I could sense they were struggling with a much weightier problem.

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Software Review Technical Review eCommerce Salary 434

Steve Blank

APRIL 1, 2020

This article previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. It’s been updated with new information about the U.S. Paycheck Protection program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. What cashflow-negative companies must do to survive. We’re in uncharted territory with the Covid-19 pandemic. But it’s increasingly looking grim.

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South Korea Salary Business Model China 333