Maria Lourdes C. Capilitan                                                                                    

Sysanal

June 10, 2008

Case Study

Ray Ozzie

(Founder, Iris Associates)

(Groove Networks)

            It is difficult to compete with others, to create something new and change  because of the fast phase of technology. You should be much competitive to do ideal things to big companies. I also learned and prove that two heads are really better than one. In creating and involving to the industry will take a lot of risk specially in funding. Lastly, I learned that focus on a matter when you are talking to people who want to believe in you and more they believe in you. The more they will be sustainable entity.

            Ray Ozzie worked on Plato notes in university of Illinois. Ozzie wanted to develop a collaboration software of his own, but like other company’s or projects. He couldn’t found someone to fund. His idea is being invested by Mitchell Kapor and Jonathan Sachs. In 1997, Ray O. founded Groove Networks which built internet-based work group. Collaboration Software. He also worked for Microsoft as chief technician officer. In June 2006, he became a chief software architect from Bill Gates.

            When they started Groove last 1997. They just work in their houses, his brothers help him. The first code that they did was a primitive synchronization algorithm. Groove was meant to fulfill just collaborative workspaces piece. Their company aimed to work in a highly mobile fashion, behind firewall so they went to desktop architecture. Before Ray O. start a company, he wrote founding documents to explain the accomplishment to anyone who will join the company. Iris and Groove have to decide were they will do a project in C++ or in Java. The Master less synchronization was a novel technology. It is been done for year. It is difficult because people reboot PC’s. They restore form back-ups and lose them. They decided to do it in C++ because of its stable client-side environment. Java didn’t have stable run time so they have no choice but to do it in C++.

            They launched a version of Groove to GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company. They want to be into enterprises but it didn’t work. They say that it is difficult to sell new fresh company like Groove because mostly people are focused on reaching costs and increasing security. They said that you can’t completely predetermine all the user interface or integration decisions. They also said that you cannot be early-bind marketing and have positioning decisions because the market and competitive to environment will be different. They are giving equal focus to entertainment and productivity applications for technology. They decided to concentrates on productivity of realm instead of consumer application. Ray says that if you want to create a start up you must create a network of people who win when you win. When he was 27 they structured a great contract that funded their product. When you have alliance with major corporation you only have to relate to other. Iris and Groove knew that Microsoft is their prime competitor.

            They have difficulties in hiring a marketing and sales side because they are different and you do not know who to trust. Ray O. give advice and said, first, learn about leadership. Second, watch how they talk. Third, observe how they present to people. Fourth, learn the culture of what you want. Fifth, learn to respect and apply people’s skill. Sixth, understand what is rare. Seventh, you have to be comfortable. Ray O. learned to Iris that was applied to Groove is strong positive things. It should be about mission is changing the world have an impact to the lives of people.