Practically every day a new startup launches, each with the hope of solving a particular problem its founders have identified. Whether in the consumer, enterprise, ad-tech, or publishing space, there's always at least one innovator trying to create something unique: a so-called breakthrough service that'll be the next SpaceX or Facebook. Many will try, but let's be honest in admitting that very few will likely succeed.
"If You Really Want To Change The World" offers insight and concrete steps the hopeful can take to advance their dreams of building something meaningful and long-lasting. Co-authored by Henry Kressel, a senior partner at private equity firm Warburg Pincus, and Norman Winarsky, cofounder of Siri and past president of SRI Ventures, this 189-page book offers advice to entrepreneurs who "really do want to make a dent in the world -- to bring internet to villages in Africa, to develop new treatments for diseases, to improve the life of the elderly, and disabled, to provide clean water to all, and more."
Many know Siri as the feature on Apple's popular iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. But building an artificial intelligence assistant wasn't easy. The opening chapters recount Winarsky's experience building Siri, culminating in its acquisition by Apple.
"The breakthrough idea behind Siri was simple and powerful: in contrast with search engines, we decided that Siri would be a 'do engine' that would allow people to use their natural spoken language to get answers to their queries rather than by clicking on the smartphone; all the effort to get the answers would be done by Siri...Siri would allow people to buy tickets, make reservations, get the weather report, and find a movie by speaking into a smartphone. Siri would give them answers, not links."
The book is filled with many interesting case studies, and this is an organization that should know something about breakthrough ventures. Besides Siri and Nuance, it has helped to contribute to speech recognition and translation products, created the real-time airline reservation system, developed LCD technology, invented the mouse, and created ARPANET, which gave rise to the Internet as we know it.
Certainly, Kressel and Winarsky have the backgrounds to speak with authority about creating long-lasting and market-changing technology. I have to say, much of what they cover has been written about before, and some of the concepts felt familiar. But if you want to look at the relevant case studies these innovators have to offer, along with their insights into an industry they know inside and out, then "If You Really Want To Change The World" may well be for you.
"If You Really Want To Change The World" is on sale now.