Other day we drove by a new Nano. It was so stunning in it’s looks that a lot of cars and scooters were tailgating the car … to get a closer look. Expensive 13-17 Lakh car drivers were eying the Nano enviously !! Who ever said “Less is More…” … probably meant this. 
If u haven’t seen it in real life … u must. The most impressive thing about it is that it’s looks anything BUT small or cheap. No wonder NYTimes called it a “True Engineering Marvel”.
A moment I am quite proud to say “I too worked for TELCO” !!
If u haven’t read the “Blue Ocean Strategy” u must. This is exactly what they talk about. A new value curve … fundamental value innovation. Instead of jumping into the blood red small car market or deep blood red bike market with yet another offering … TATAs started out at “off the chart” value points for everything about a car in India. No wonder there is so much buzz and excitement about it. In fact it’s not radical new technologies that went into the Nano. But assembling existing ones in many ways to arrive at a different value point. Instead of going after the regular car buyers or the scooter owners … they are now saying own a new car at the comparable cost of a scooter or a 2nd hand car !!
In many ways iPod did the same. Started out saying only touch, no key board, designed for the internet … also a phone!!
Mint the new business news paper in India has done the same. Instead of being yet another 
yellow business news paper they said “every one has interest in impact of businesses on their lives” we will write for every one about businesss. No wonder in less than 2 years they are #2 business paper and 4 on 5 Mint readers never read a business paper before !! Talk about creating a new Blue Ocean.
As a start up are u creating a new market … or u just a Me Too Me Too?
Sridhar Turaga's blog 