It’s nearly impossible to go through the process of launching a startup at Carnegie Mellon University without getting the aid and support of Dave Mawhinney along the way. Given his role as the executive director of CMU’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, Mawhinney works mostly with undergraduate startup founders who are looking to tap into the vast and plentiful opportunities available at one of the world’s most prestigious research universities. Mawhinney’s efforts can lead founders to investors or to a better understanding of their product/market fit so that they’re set up for success from the start. A proud champion of some of Pittsburgh’s youngest entrepreneurs, Mawhinney is a staple of Pittsburgh’s startup scene.
What do you think makes for a successful Pittsburgh startup?
A “customer first” mentality. We teach Don Jones’ “Goodness Factor” at CMU’s Swartz Center. Your product/service needs to be 3-10 times better or 3-10 times cheaper than your customer’s alternative solutions. Otherwise, your customer won’t switch from their current solution.
What is a challenge for Pittsburgh’s startup community, and how could it be addressed?
1. Risk capital. We don’t have enough native risk capital. … 2. Better airport access. We need more direct and affordable flights to major cities, especially the Bay Area and New York City. 3. First customers. Pittsburgh-based companies are risk-averse, forcing our startups to seek first customers elsewhere. This is expensive and time-consuming. Step up Pittsburgh large and medium-sized companies.
What has you most optimistic about the region’s startups in the years to come?
Pittsburgh attracts thousands of the world’s smartest and most ambitious people to our universities every single year. If we continue to make our startup and tech ecosystem more attractive, many of them will stay and help us continue to build a world-class, sustainable and diversified economy.
