Careers: Learn to Love the Problem First: A Tech Founder on why your Solution Should Come Second when Going from Research to Market

When I left Los Alamos National Laboratory to start a company 11 years ago, I thought my team was ready. We had developed a new class of quantum dots—nanoscale particles of light-emitting semi-conductor material that can be used in displays, solar cells, and more. Our technology was safer, more stable, and less expensive than existing quantum-dot materials. The technical advantages were real, but I quickly learned that no amount of scientific merit guarantees market success.