Steve Blank

OCTOBER 25, 2022

An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank website. I spent last week at a global Fortune 50 company offsite watching them grapple with disruption. This 100+-year-old company has seven major product divisions, each with hundreds of products. Currently a market leader, they’re watching a new and relentless competitor with more money, more people and more advanced technology appear seemingly out of nowhere, attempting to grab cu

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Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. L?ozi ??. I just had lunch with Shenwei, one of my ex-students who had just taken a job in a mid-sized consulting firm. After a bit of catching up I offered he was looking a bit lost. “I just got handed a project to help our firm enter a new industry – semiconductors. They want me to map out the space so we can figure out where we can add value.

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Steve Blank

JUNE 20, 2022

This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO) find and grow the islands of innovation inside a large company? How not to waste your first six months as a new CTO thinking you’re making progress when the status quo is working to keep you at bay? I just had coffee with Anthony, a friend who was just hired as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of a large company (30,000+ people.

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CTO Technical Cofounder CTO Hire Incubator 354

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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Ukraine China Private Equity Russia 277

Steve Blank

APRIL 8, 2022

It was an honor to host US Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks at Stanford’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. (Think of the Deputy Secretary of Defense as the Chief Operating Officer of a company – but in this case the company has 3 million employees (~1.4 million active duty, 750,000 civilians, ~800,000 in the National Guard and Reserves.).

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Security Silicon Valley China Private Equity 217

Steve Blank

MARCH 22, 2022

If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics. Richard Feynman. IBM Quantum Computer. Tens of billions of public and private capital are being invested in Quantum technologies. Countries across the world have realized that quantum technologies can be a major disruptor of existing businesses and change the balance of military power.

Technology 436

Technology Algorithm Stealth Distribution 436

Steve Blank

JANUARY 18, 2022

This post previously appeared in the Proceedings of the Naval Institute. One of the most audacious and bold manifestos for the future of Naval innovation has just been posted by the Rear Admiral who heads up the Office of Naval Research. It may be the hedge we need to deter China in the South China Sea. While You Were Out. In the two decades since 9/11, while the U.S. was fighting Al-Qaeda and ISIS, China built new weapons and developed new operational concepts to negate U.S. military strengths.

Agile 369

Agile China Artificial Inteligence Taiwan 369

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 14, 2021

If I ask you to think of an elephant do you see an elephant in your head when you close your eyes? I don’t. Regardless of how descriptive the imagery, story or text I can’t create any pictures in my head at all. 2% of people can’t do this either. This inability to visualize is called aphantasia. I never knew this absence of mental imagery was even a thing until my daughter pointed out that she and I were missing something my wife and other daughter had.

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Conversion Founder 416

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 30, 2021

penitus cogitare, cito agere – think deeply, act quickly. 75 years ago, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) helped kickstart innovation in Silicon Valley with a series of grants to Fred Terman , Dean of Stanford’s Engineering school. Terman used the money to set up the Stanford Electronics Research Lab. He staffed it with his lab managers who built the first electronic warfare and electronic intelligence systems in WWII.

Security 364

Security Silicon Valley Russia China 364

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 23, 2021

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just completed the seventh 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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Technical Review Technology Russia United States 332

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).

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Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Technology Russia 351

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. . We just completed the fourth 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).

Technical Review 366

Technical Review Taiwan Technology Artificial Inteligence 366

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

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

For 25 years as the sole Superpower, the U.S. neglected strategic threats from China and a rearmed Russia. The country, our elected officials, and our military committed to a decades-long battle to ensure that terrorists like those that executed the 9/11 attacks are not able to attack us on that scale again. Meanwhile, our country’s legacy weapons systems have too many entrenched and interlocking interests (Congress, lobbyists, DOD/contractor revolving door, service promotion of executors versu

Technology 392

Technology Russia China Intellectual Property 392

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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Incubator Lean Agile Business Model 402

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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Lean Security Asia SBIR 385

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

APRIL 20, 2021

I first met Shawn Carolan and his wife Jennifer at the turn of the century at 11,000 feet. I was hiking with my kids between the Yosemite High Sierra camps. Having just retired from a career as an entrepreneur I had started thinking about why startups were different from large companies. The ideas were bouncing around my head so hard that I shared them with these strangers around a campfire, drawing out the four steps with a stick in the dirt.

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Product Viral Channel San Francisco 436

Steve Blank

MARCH 9, 2021

A version of this story previously appeared in Defense One. The story of RYAN and Able Archer is an oft-told lesson of a U.S. intelligence failure, miscalculation, and two superpowers unaware they were on the brink of an accidental nuclear war — all because the Soviet Union relied on a software program to make predictions that were based on false assumptions.

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Artificial Inteligence Software United States Europe 217

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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Norway Silicon Valley Russia United States 214

Steve Blank

JANUARY 28, 2021

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Customer Development Developer Customer 408

Steve Blank

JANUARY 14, 2021

Our recent national security class at Stanford, Technology, Innovation, and Modern War was designed to give students insights on how the onslaught of new technologies like AI, machine learning, autonomy, cyber, access to space, biotech, hypersonics, and others have the potential to radically change how countries fight and deter threats. With 20+ guest speakers , including two Secretaries of Defense, Generals, Admirals and Policy makers, the class emphasized that winning future conflicts requires

Technology 387

Technology China Artificial Inteligence Acquisition 387

Steve Blank

JANUARY 8, 2021

This class, Technology, Innovation, and Modern War was designed to give our students insights on how the onslaught of new technologies like AI, machine learning, autonomy, cyber, access to space, biotech, hypersonics, and others has the potential to radically change how countries fight and deter threats. Our 20+ guest speakers were an extraordinary collection of military and policy leaders including two Secretaries of Defense, Generals, Admirals and Policy makers.

Technology 385

Technology Artificial Inteligence North Korea Russia 385

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 9, 2020

We just held our sixteenth 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 Acquisition and Sustainment and Modern War.

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Acquisition Technical Review Technology Security 284

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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North Korea Advisory Board United States Iran 431

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

We just held our fourteenth 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 Strategy, Plans and Policy in the Joint Staff.

Technology 217

Technology China Artificial Inteligence Operations 217

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 26, 2020

We just held our eighth 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 Artificial Intelligence and Modern War.

Artificial Inteligence 388

Artificial Inteligence Fractional CTO Technology CTO 388

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 19, 2020

We just held our sixth 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 Innovations in Acquiring Technologies for Modern War.

Technology 388

Technology China Agile Acquisition 388

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

We just held our second session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Given the tech-centricity of Stanford and Silicon Valley, 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.

Technology 335

Technology North Korea Silicon Valley Artificial Inteligence 335

Steve Blank

AUGUST 17, 2020

Rise Up. “Let’s do something to help with the pandemic.” In April, with the economy crashing, and the East Coast in lockdown, I heard this from Stanford instructors Tom Bedecarre and Todd Basche, both on the same day. And my response to them was the same, “I can’t sew masks and I don’t know how to make ventilators.” But after thinking about it, it dawned on to me that we could contribute – by creating a class to help existing businesses recover and new ones to start.

Hawaii 434

Hawaii Aggregator Business Model Lean 434

Steve Blank

JULY 14, 2020

With a terrific crew of instructors, TA’s, and mentors, we successfully concluded Session 1 of our Hacking 4 Recovery summer series – with 20 teams sharing their final presentations last night. Slides for these presentations are in this folder , and we will be editing and sharing videos of each presentation shortly. Alivia – Telemedicine service bringing healthcare to middle income people in Peru.

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Peru Philippines Mobile Global 291

Steve Blank

JUNE 23, 2020

The pandemic has upended the business models of most startups and existing companies. As the economy reopens companies are finding that customers may have disappeared or that their spending behavior has changed. Suppliers are going out of business or requiring cash-up-front terms. Accounts receivables are stretching way out. Revenue models and forecasts are no longer valid.

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Customer Marketing Customer Development Lean 436

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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Taiwan China United States Arizona 436

Steve Blank

MAY 18, 2020

We’re holding a series of 5-day online classes at Stanford where teams will learn how to develop new business models for an economy that’s getting back to work and on the road to recovery. Sign up at [link]. The post-pandemic world will be a very different place. The Covid-19 virus has upended traditional ways of doing business, travel, education, entertainment, healthcare, etc.

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Lean Business Model Affiliate Incubator 436

Steve Blank

APRIL 7, 2020

With in-person classes canceled, we’re about to start our online versions of Hacking for Defense and Hacking for Oceans (and here ). The classes are built on the Lean Startup methodology: Customer Discovery, Agile Engineering and the Business/Mission Model Canvas. So how do our students get out of the building to talk to customers to do Customer Discovery when they can’t get out of the building?

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Customer Business Model Restful Video 413