As Canadian policy and investment encourages more innovative startups, we constantly hear about the “valley of death”: the point where a startup has some momentum but struggles for market traction. We hang lofty hopes on research-based startups getting past this to solve global challenges and grow into scalable companies. However, focusing on the valley of death will keep us ignoring a valley in even greater need of bridges: The Valley of Never-Having-Lived. This is where potentially world-changing startups and entrepreneurs never get the chance to realize their potential.
