

Ask HN: Whats the difference between Innovation & Entrepreneurship - nashequilibrium


======
pedalpete
I'm assuming you've looked up the definition, they are in no way related to
one another.

Innovation is defined as "a new method, idea or product." Entrepreneurship is
"the act of organizing a business venture."

I'm an innovator, not an entrepreneur. I get excited by change and creation of
new products and services. The act of creating needs to be unique in order for
me to get excited about it. I contrast that with my brother who is an
entrepreneur. He loves creating businesses, he'll sell them to you as the most
innovative because of x,y,z or they are changing the world because of a,b,c,
but he can then go on and list off a hundred competitors who are trying to do
the same thing, and the products they are all selling are barely
indistinguishable to those familiar with the market.

The innovator concerns themselves with novelty, the entrepreneur, with
business. It might help to compare it to a Chef and a Restaurateur. The Chef
is the creator and hopefully an innovator, but definitely an artist in the
creation of food. The Restaurateur wants his restaurant to be full of happy
people spending their money and making x% profit on each sale.

Entrepreneurship can be driven by Innovation, and vice-versa, but they
certainly don't have to be related at all.

~~~
nashequilibrium
I got to thinking about this after reading this short article on the creation
of postit notes. I have a feeling that most of us on HN are innovators and not
entrepreneurs.

[http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/11/post-it-
note...](http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/11/post-it-notes-were-
invented-by-accident/)

