Greg, this is exactly what we are trying to build. We call ourselves a Digital Venture Firm. (Studio would be better.) We built about 30 products for other people and 8 for ourselves. I am interested to know of other companies then the ones you listed above would fit the mold so I can study them more. Metalab (Tiny) and BCGDV were the two we modeled our new website off of - but do you know others?
As startups become more homogenous (they mostly already are), the process learning curve becomes more and more important. It makes a lot of sense that by eliminating that you can improve chances for success. The one place I think the Studio model suffers is that they are by definition generalists - many of the most transformative startups come from earned insights: people inside industries that understand things in a way not apparent to the outside world. That specialized knowledge can be key to unlocking markets and change.
Great observation Jeff. One way we avoid this in our org is by building separate teams centred around each business problem we are trying to solve through products. Development teams are fungible, but the business analysts, product owner, sales and marketing are all specifically built around the product. So, subject matter experts + product management + fungible development teams.
This is great and timely, even now, especially given the recent launch of Metalabel (https://www.metalabel.com/) which has made me wonder about alternative startup structures.
In SF and the Bay Area, we have lots of "incubators" that help with the exploring of startup ideas like South Park Commons (https://www.southparkcommons.com/) and a number of seed-stage VCs but these are focussed on getting venture funding. What doesn't quite exist is the more bootstrapped version. As a result, I have a few founder friends who take the approach of consulting first to understand the needs and audiences more deeply, then pick an idea to pursue --but they lack a community other than their personal networks.
It feels like AI improvements have made the Lean Startup (Eric Ries) notion of build-measure-learn even faster, more rigorous, and easier to implement.
This is mostly fall into a business design and design process. there is a fallacy that most people look at designers just designers by putting wireframe togethers, even designers look at themselves that way. Designers are makers, thinkers, concept builders, researchers, testers, idea generators, and business oriented. that is at least how I see myself.
I really like how much you're focusing on the studio process at the moment.
It makes a lot of sense, as no-code and other developer tools mean ideas can rapidly build products that are sophisticated enough to experiment with and validate. But there are limits.
My opinion (as someone working at a product studio) is that we step in when:
a) it's time to make your no-code solution into a business
b) you're a startup with a great idea and enough capital to build from scratch and iterate over time
c) you're a corporate innovation department with an idea but are unsure about the startup approach, how to build and ensure quality (e.g. integration, scalability, data structure, generally not having crappy spaghetti code), and how to launch, grow and potentially spin out when you don't have the full corporate safety net.
I quite like the idea that the venture layer collapses into an experiment accelerator layer. Instead of investors worrying about incurring risk by exposing their money they flip their thinking into feeling risk by not exposing their money. Someone, somewhere, will be willing to spend.
great idea and this is becoming extra-topical these days - im drawn to the idea of design studios and infusing that philosophy within product development
To seed, build, and nurture timeless, intangible human capitals — such as resilience, trust, truth, evolution, efficiency, fulfilment, quality, peace, patience, discipline, relationships and conviction — in order to elevate human judgment, deepen relationships, and restore sacred trusteeship and stewardship of long-term firm value across generations.
A refreshing, original take on our business world and capitalism.
A reflection on why today’s capital architectures—PE, VC, Hedge funds, SPAC, Alt funds, Rollups—mostly fail to build and nuture what time can trust.
“Built to Be Left.”
A quiet anatomy of extraction, abandonment, and the collapse of stewardship.
"Principal-Agent Risk is not a flaw in the system.
Greg, this is exactly what we are trying to build. We call ourselves a Digital Venture Firm. (Studio would be better.) We built about 30 products for other people and 8 for ourselves. I am interested to know of other companies then the ones you listed above would fit the mold so I can study them more. Metalab (Tiny) and BCGDV were the two we modeled our new website off of - but do you know others?
Great stuff!
What are your thoughts about startup studios vs holding companies?
In other words, is there a reason you chose the startup studio route instead of just acquiring already existing businesses?
As startups become more homogenous (they mostly already are), the process learning curve becomes more and more important. It makes a lot of sense that by eliminating that you can improve chances for success. The one place I think the Studio model suffers is that they are by definition generalists - many of the most transformative startups come from earned insights: people inside industries that understand things in a way not apparent to the outside world. That specialized knowledge can be key to unlocking markets and change.
Great observation Jeff. One way we avoid this in our org is by building separate teams centred around each business problem we are trying to solve through products. Development teams are fungible, but the business analysts, product owner, sales and marketing are all specifically built around the product. So, subject matter experts + product management + fungible development teams.
This is great and timely, even now, especially given the recent launch of Metalabel (https://www.metalabel.com/) which has made me wonder about alternative startup structures.
In SF and the Bay Area, we have lots of "incubators" that help with the exploring of startup ideas like South Park Commons (https://www.southparkcommons.com/) and a number of seed-stage VCs but these are focussed on getting venture funding. What doesn't quite exist is the more bootstrapped version. As a result, I have a few founder friends who take the approach of consulting first to understand the needs and audiences more deeply, then pick an idea to pursue --but they lack a community other than their personal networks.
It feels like AI improvements have made the Lean Startup (Eric Ries) notion of build-measure-learn even faster, more rigorous, and easier to implement.
Thanks!
This is mostly fall into a business design and design process. there is a fallacy that most people look at designers just designers by putting wireframe togethers, even designers look at themselves that way. Designers are makers, thinkers, concept builders, researchers, testers, idea generators, and business oriented. that is at least how I see myself.
Yes, Greg…What you’re saying reminds me of a scientist in a lab—running experiments, testing ideas, adjusting, and trying again until something works.
That’s what studios could be, right? You’re not betting everything on one idea, but you’re building, learning, tweaking.
Feels like the future isn’t just about building startups, it’s about thinking like a researcher and experimenting.
I really like how much you're focusing on the studio process at the moment.
It makes a lot of sense, as no-code and other developer tools mean ideas can rapidly build products that are sophisticated enough to experiment with and validate. But there are limits.
My opinion (as someone working at a product studio) is that we step in when:
a) it's time to make your no-code solution into a business
b) you're a startup with a great idea and enough capital to build from scratch and iterate over time
c) you're a corporate innovation department with an idea but are unsure about the startup approach, how to build and ensure quality (e.g. integration, scalability, data structure, generally not having crappy spaghetti code), and how to launch, grow and potentially spin out when you don't have the full corporate safety net.
beautifully said
Good insight 😃. Can i translate part of this article into Spanish with links to you and a description of your newsletter?
I'd be interested in reading more about the Launching an Experiment stage.
I quite like the idea that the venture layer collapses into an experiment accelerator layer. Instead of investors worrying about incurring risk by exposing their money they flip their thinking into feeling risk by not exposing their money. Someone, somewhere, will be willing to spend.
Also Labs are the future of high growth innovative startups!
They are the forgotten inception point of incredible ideas in the past
great idea and this is becoming extra-topical these days - im drawn to the idea of design studios and infusing that philosophy within product development
This makes so much sense!
Hello there,
Huge Respect for your work!
New here. No huge reader base Yet.
But the work has waited long to be spoken.
Its truths have roots older than this platform.
My Sub-stack Purpose
To seed, build, and nurture timeless, intangible human capitals — such as resilience, trust, truth, evolution, efficiency, fulfilment, quality, peace, patience, discipline, relationships and conviction — in order to elevate human judgment, deepen relationships, and restore sacred trusteeship and stewardship of long-term firm value across generations.
A refreshing, original take on our business world and capitalism.
A reflection on why today’s capital architectures—PE, VC, Hedge funds, SPAC, Alt funds, Rollups—mostly fail to build and nuture what time can trust.
“Built to Be Left.”
A quiet anatomy of extraction, abandonment, and the collapse of stewardship.
"Principal-Agent Risk is not a flaw in the system.
It is the system’s operating principle”
Experience first. Return if it speaks to you.
- The Silent Treasury
https://tinyurl.com/48m97w5e
Love this concept. Makes it easier to iterate.