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When trying to create a truly unique product, it's important to avoid the pitfall of focusing too much on uniqueness at the expense of functionality and efficiency. As illustrated by Solyndra's experience, their cylindrical solar cell design was unique but it was inefficient and a worse conductor of sunlight than the flat cells. So, the key pitfalls to avoid are:
1. Not thoroughly testing the product for efficiency and functionality.
2. Ignoring the market standards and needs.
3. Focusing too much on uniqueness rather than the product's value and practicality.
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Learn from tech superstar Peter Thiel (PayPal, Palantir) and his protégé Blake Masters why the only opportunities really worth pursuing are those that...
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Solyndra was a cleantech startup that created solar panels using a new type of cell – a cylindrical solar cell. The problem, however, was that the cylindrical design was inefficient. It was actually a worse conductor of sunlight than the flat cells. Rather than being ten times better, Solyndra had created a product that was actually worse than the current state.
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