i2i team and the U.S. startup accelerator EntreCamp jointly launched the IP2 Scale Out Program, offering comprehensive assistance to new startups venturing into the U.S. East Coast market. Experts directly impart entrepreneurial wisdom and experience, accompanied by a recommended entrepreneurship guide endorsed by experts. Recommended reading includes "The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism," as reported by renowned international business media such as the Financial Times, Publishers Weekly, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, Fortune, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and CNN Money.
The book, authored by globally acclaimed economist Jeremy Rifkin, highlights the Internet of Things as the driving force behind the sharing economy, positioning it as the most dominant economic model of the 21st century. It elucidates the concept of the sharing economy, its underlying principles, and strategies to navigate this economic paradigm shift. The book encompasses crucial global economic and technological trends that today's startups cannot afford to overlook. Let's explore what entrepreneurs are reading and discover valuable insights to address challenges on the entrepreneurial journey.
Title: The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism
Author: Jeremy Rifkin
Renowned economist, President of the Foundation on Economic Trends, Senior Lecturer in Executive Education at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Also an internationally acclaimed social commentator and bestselling author, with works translated into over 35 languages. Currently serves as advisor to the European Union and heads of state worldwide.
Content Overview:
The Decline of Market Economy and Rise of the Sharing Economy: The author argues that the powerful force of the Internet of Things will propel the sharing economy into the mainstream.
People can share resources such as information, entertainment, and energy nearly at zero marginal cost, predicting this will disrupt existing rules of market economy.
The Era of the Sharing Economy is Here: The book explores the advent of the sharing economy and its impacts, from the birth of market economy to the rise of shared resources, from the relationship between human nature and capitalism to the importance of ecological sustainability.
A Society Where Everything Becomes Free: Discusses the future of the Internet of Things, 3D printing, education, and the challenges faced by laborers who might lose their jobs.
The Rise of Shared Resources: Explores the concept of shared resources and the conflict between open sharing and patent protection.
Social Capital and the Sharing Economy: Explores the shift from ownership to access rights, crowdfunding, social capital, and the possibility of creating entirely new biosphere communities.
What Entrepreneurs Read? How Does It Help Startups?
"The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Rise of the Sharing Economy and the Zero Marginal Cost Society" by futurist and economist Jeremy Rifkin helps readers understand the emerging Internet of Things, which is driving down the costs of transactions, communication, and collaboration to almost zero, while productivity reaches unprecedented levels. This leads humanity towards a state of nearly zero marginal cost, creating a new economic paradigm.
The book emphasizes that the sharing economy is inevitable, and the world is destined to move towards a collaborative model. It also analyzes how phenomena such as 3D printing, crowdfunding, and online education platforms combine, forcing many industries to undergo transformations in their business models.
This book offers new perspectives on business models and values for startup entrepreneurs, unveiling the core idea of the sharing economy: "access" surpasses "ownership," and "collaboration" trumps "competition." In the era of the sharing economy, entrepreneurs can create value by establishing shared platforms or resources, rather than solely pursuing profits from a single product or service.
Additionally, the book discusses emerging fundraising methods such as crowdfunding and social capital, which are highly attractive options for startups. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of sustainable development for both society and the environment.
Suitable Readers: Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, lawyers, students, and teachers in entrepreneurship, business management, and finance fields, as well as the general public interested in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
IP2 Scale Out Program, in collaboration with EntreCamp, i2i team will continue to share more entrepreneurial-related books, activities, knowledge, and achievements.