Question

How did Uber define its early atomic networks?

Uber's early atomic networks were not defined by entire cities like San Francisco. Instead, they were much more specific and smaller in scale. An example of this would be '5pm at the Caltrain Station at 5th and King Street'.

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To overcome the Cold Start Problem, businesses tend to start with a single network—what Chen calls an 'atomic network'. This is perhaps the most crucial idea in the book. Networked products tend to start small, in a single city, college campus, or in small beta tests at individual companies—like when Facebook launched at Harvard University. "Only once they nail it in a smaller network do they build up over time to eventually conquer the world," Chen writes. Moreover, appropriate atomic networks are often smaller than entrepreneurs think. Uber's early atomic networks were not cities like San Francisco; '5pm at the Caltrain Station at 5th and King Street' is more accurate.

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