Innovators seek to improve capabilities by multiples. Innovation is multiplicative, not additive - from Ray Kurzweil‘s book, The Singularity is Near
Entrepreneurs are, without question, the ninjas of innovation. Who else keeps his/her radar on Defcon 1 always alert for a problem they can solve? Who else, by solving that problem increases energy efficiency, extends quality of life, equips us to enjoy entertainment on the go with “1000 tools in our pocket” and generates over 86% of jobs in this country?
I love it when entrepreneur inventors present at TED like these scary genius nut-cases:
Where does Google find the arrows to fill their portfolio quiver? Where does GE, Sysco, IBM and every other Fortune 500 company find it’s new idea to scale? The Ninjas of course! Generating a new idea in GE is like turning a barge around in a retention pond. The F500 don’t innovate, they BUY great ideas from our Economy Heroes and cast their ample resources into the fledgling infrastructure to produce 10x fold.
So if Entrepreneurs are the ground zero of our nation’s innovation, and if they generate over 85% of jobs why would we want to discourage them with higher taxation and a national health care mandate that decimates incentive to create and take risk? I remember reading a WSJ article several years ago about Canadian health care. A statement buried in the text referenced a particular doctor and how he was able to continue his surgical practice at the hospital even though he was forced to use technology over fifteen years old.
Fifteen years? Can you imagine what lives have been saved and/or quality of life extended by medical innovations created in the last 15 years? How about PSA testing? How about robotic surgery? How about regional anesthesia and advanced MRI for brain surgery? And let’s don’t even start about Viagra…
The point is, we NEED our Ninjas to continue hanging their derrieres out the window in hopes of launching the next disruptive product that will greatly improve our lives. We want a Dan Kamen (see video above) to stay in the game so that he can perfect an artificial arm. The coolest part of innovation with Economy Heroes – for the most part they create because they are passionate about their solution. They risk, not only for financial reward (making money is ok with you, isn’t it?), but also to make a difference.
Let’s get behind our Economy Heroes. They need a tax deferrals, like The Bridge Act, and less regulations and federal constraints. In other words - they need FREEDOM.
Creating jobs and increasing innovation isn’t hard; just make a path for our Innovation Ninjas and get out of the way, they will do the rest.
