The document outlines key strategies for creating a successful technical startup, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between product development and company building. It highlights attracting and retaining top talent, executing innovative ideas, adopting agile methodologies, and maintaining financial awareness. The author also stresses the significance of aligning definitions of success with partners and investors while encouraging a fun and collaborative work environment.

1. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Ben Scherrey Chief Systems Architect Proteus Technologies Ltd. @proteusguy on Twitter [email_address]

2. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Understand the difference between building a Product & building a Company (Hint – you'll be doing both)

3. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Attract, hire, and retain the best talent you can possibly find. The best devs are 10x better than good average devs but don't cost more than 2x as much!

4. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Best Strategy: TECHNICAL CAREER PATH Invest in your people. Give them the titles & salaries competitive with management to keep their families happy.

5. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Be Innovative by standing on the shoulders of Giants. Ideas are Cheap Execution is Key

6. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup How many $250k licenses of SQLServer can you afford? Not These Giants

7. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Giants of innovation that is! Don't have to be big to have an impact. These Giants!

8. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Theme – take control of your own destiny or someone else will. Open Source Open Standards Open Platforms

9. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup If you don't implement TDD you are negligent and out of control! Adopt a low overhead management process like Agile. Fixed Length Iterations Unit Testing Continuous Integration

10. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup ” Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.” Brian W. Kernighan Don't be too clever. Complexity is your enemy.

11. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup If you aren't a finance guy or think you can deal with that later – you're wrong! Take the right money.

12. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup Make sure you have a definition of 'success' and it is aligned with your partner's & investors. Have Fun!

13. How to Create a Successful Technical Startup You are building a COMPANY not just a product. Attract & retain the Best People Provide a competitive Technical Career Path Ideas are Cheap - Execution is Key Leverage Open Source, Open Standards, & Open Platforms Be Agile / TDD Don't Be Too Clever Take the Right Money Have Fun If you're seriously trying to do this here in SE Asia, be sure to come talk to Dave & Ben!