Double Sided Innovation Example 2: Radio

Derived From
James Surowiecki, Wisdom of Crowds

Radio

In the early days of radio three companies in the US dominated – American Marconi, NESCO and De Forest Wireless Telegraphy.
Each of these companies had very different approaches to how to develop and distribute radio.
More interestingly each of these companies was sponsored in different ways:

• American Marconi relied on investment banks to raise its capital from large private investors
• NESCO was funded by two rich men
• De Forest was owned by a small group of investors

The variety of funding sources enabled a wider range of technology solutions to be applied.