Today in class, we were treated to a unique experience: the chance to listen to a first hand account of how a radically different and innovative enterprise develops from inception to actualization.

Wade Larson is the COO of UrtheCast, a company that will soon provide live-streamed video feed of the earth from the International Space Station (ISS).

As the class progressed, Mr. Larson outlined the difficulties he encountered with UrtheCast, namely, how exactly he got investors or partners to buy into the idea of something so fantastical and frankly gimmicky.

We were told of how he struck a barter deal with Russia’s cosmonauts, exchanging their equipment for a ride to the ISS.  (Interesting to see bartering still taking effect.  A relatively quantitative way to think of opportunity cost, albeit on a grand scale.)

After spending last night (and this morning) on the second individual assignment, it was refreshing to see some of the tools we’ve learned in class actually used in a real case.  Porter’s generic strategies are now even clearer in my mind after listening to Mr. Larson apply it to his space age company.

Approaching the UrtheCast model from a marketing perspective shows a wealth of advertising potential.  How easy it is now though, to be awed by a company like this, when just last year’s class was skeptical of its success.

UrtheCast is a wonderful example of what humans can achieve and how big the returns are after such a monumental risk.

http://www.urthecast.com/about