Concept · Startup & Growth Frameworks
Lean Startup
Origin: Eric Ries (2011)
Biological Parallel
Desert annual plants practice nature's lean startup: they germinate only when environmental signals indicate viable conditions, grow rapidly with minimal resource investment, and complete their life cycle before conditions deteriorate. This bet-hedging strategy allows rapid iteration across generations rather than betting everything on a single long-term investment. The faster the feedback loop between environmental conditions and reproductive success, the faster adaptation occurs.