“Look What I Can Do” vs. “Look Who Cares”: Apple misses the mark with its new "Thinpossible" iPad Pro
Even the most successful companies fall victim to the SAME pitfall as many deeptech founders: building features that are technically impressive vs. what customers really want.
At Ubiquity Ventures, we see it all the time: brilliant entrepreneurs dazzled by their own tech wizardry, lost in the “Look what I can do” mindset. It’s exciting, sure, but here’s a reality check: your customers might not care about your latest feature. They just want a solution that works for them.
Think about Apple’s latest stunt: making the iPad thinner. Why? Because they could. Did anyone ask for it? Nope. Now it's harder to pick up and more fragile. A classic case of engineers solving problems no one has. They missed the “Look who cares” memo.
In deep tech, it’s easy to get swept away by innovation. But remember, the goal isn’t to out-geek the competition; it’s to make customers happy. Sure, your tech might be groundbreaking, but if it doesn’t solve a real-world problem for users, it’s just a shiny toy.
Imagine an entrepreneur who has developed an amazing new technology. The inclination is to showcase the technical marvel, adding features and capabilities that demonstrate the full extent of their innovation. While this can be impressive, it often misses the mark if it doesn't align with what customers truly want. This gap can be a significant hurdle for startups, leading to products that, despite their technical brilliance, fail to gain traction in the market.
Here’s the kicker: the real magic happens when “Look what I can do” meets “Look who cares.” That’s where success lies. You’ve got to ask yourself: does this feature excite my customers or just my engineering team? Often, simplicity wins. One well-loved feature can do more for your startup than a dozen underused ones.
I definitely understand the initial euphoria of creation and technical achievement. Next, comes the realization of the importance of customer validation. Finally, there’s the focus on the practical impact of the solution. Navigating these stages requires a shift from inward technical focus to outward customer-centricity.
So, to all the tech enthusiasts out there, take a step back. Ask yourself what your customers actually need. Sometimes, it’s not about showcasing your full technical prowess. It’s about making your customers’ lives easier, even if it means dialing back on the geek factor.
This approach doesn’t diminish the importance of technical innovation. Instead, it places it in the context of customer satisfaction. The real win for a startup comes when it can deliver a solution that not only showcases technical depth but also addresses a genuine market need. In the end, it’s simple. Focus on who cares. That’s where you’ll find your path to success. Your tech’s great, but if it doesn’t resonate with customers, you’re just shouting into the void. So, next time you’re tempted to add another feature, remember: it’s not about you. It’s about them.
Ubiquity Ventures — led by Sunil Nagaraj — is a seed-stage venture capital firm focused on startups solving real-world physical problems with "software beyond the screen", often using smart hardware or machine learning.
If your startup fits this description, fill out the 60-second Ubiquity pitch form and you’ll hear back shortly.