--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Invention and entrepreneurship isn't…" description: "\"Invention and entrepreneurship isn't about pure technology. Most people take whatever they see in front of them and relate it to something they underst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/dean-kamen-11904_accepting_invention-and-entrepreneurship-isn-t-abo_1909846.jpg" --- # Invention and entrepreneurship isn't about pure… ![“Invention and entrepreneurship isn't about pure technology. Most people take whatever they see in front of them and relate it to something they understand. For at least ten years after Ford started building cars, people called them horseless carriages. It wasn't obvious to call it a car. They used…” quote by Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/dean-kamen-11904_accepting_invention-and-entrepreneurship-isn-t-abo_1909846.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/dean-kamen-11904_accepting_invention-and-entrepreneurship-isn-t-abo_1909846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/dean-kamen-11904_accepting_invention-and-entrepreneurship-isn-t-abo_1909846.jpg) > “Invention and entrepreneurship isn't about pure technology. Most people take whatever they see in front of them and relate it to something they understand. For at least ten years after Ford started building cars, people called them horseless carriages. It wasn't obvious to call it a car. They used to call the radio 'the wireless.' Innovation is much more about changing people and their perceptions and their attitudes and their willingness to accept change than it is about physics and engineering.” [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation depends more on shifting mindsets and cultural narratives than on the underlying technology itself. **In simple terms:** Changing how people think matters more than the tech. Key Takeaway Focus on perception, not just engineering. Themes innovation perception culture technology change Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - product launch - marketing campaigns - educational programs - policy advocacy Key Concepts diffusion of ideas social adoption cognitive framing Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe a new technology to fit existing mental models? - What narratives hinder acceptance of innovation? A Different Perspective People may resist change despite clear benefits, limiting adoption. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Accepting change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting-change/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car/) [Carriages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carriages/) [Changing People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-people/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovation Changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-changing-2868932/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Invention Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention-entrepreneurship-2868931/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Technology People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology-people-561481/) [Ten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten/) [Ten years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten-years/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) [Wireless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wireless/) [Wireless Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wireless-innovation-2868933/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I'm more pro-technology than people probably realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/i-m-more-pro-technology-than-people-probably-realize/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [The computer is my favourite invention. I feel lucky to be part of the global village. I don't mean to brag, but I'm so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-computer-is-my-favourite-invention-i-feel-lucky-to-be-part-of-the/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I think at the end of the day with any technology, whether you're talking about facial recognition technology or anything else, the people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-jassy/i-think-at-the-end-of-the-day-with-any-technology-whether-you-re/) [Andy Jassy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-jassy/) > [People who come out of the liberal arts don't have an understanding of science and technology, and the people in science and technology have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/people-who-come-out-of-the-liberal-arts-don-t-have-an-understanding/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [It's difficult to keep anything fresh for an audience these days. With technology being what it is people seem to know everything there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/it-s-difficult-to-keep-anything-fresh-for-an-audience-these-days-with/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [Although we use a lot of technology and consume a lot of technology as people of color, we're usually not the ones at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/although-we-use-a-lot-of-technology-and-consume-a-lot-of-technology/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [Really in technology, it's about the people, getting the best people, retaining them, nurturing a creative environment and helping to find a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-mayer/really-in-technology-it-s-about-the-people-getting-the-best-people/) [Marissa Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-mayer/) > [You can overcome wrong technology. Your people have the initiative, they see the problem, no big deal ... you can't overcome bad culture. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-can-overcome-wrong-technology-your-people-have-the-initiative/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Everyone always wants new things. Everybody likes new inventions, new technology. People will never be replaced by machines. In the end, life and business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-always-wants-new-things-everybody-likes-new-inventions-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The entertainment industry always chooses to fight things out through the courts and legislation. Technology people always think there's a business solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-waitt/the-entertainment-industry-always-chooses-to-fight-things-out-through/) [Ted Waitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-waitt/) > [Sound unique and commit... the human has to transcend technology and that's what people will hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-hawtin/sound-unique-and-commit-the-human-has-to-transcend-technology-and/) [Richie Hawtin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-hawtin/) > [The future is not going to be driven exclusively by technology, but by people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/the-future-is-not-going-to-be-driven-exclusively-by-technology-but-by/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [Our generation has become somewhat stripped of identity by the homogenizing effect of technology. So, more than ever, people want to project their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gilkes/our-generation-has-become-somewhat-stripped-of-identity-by-the/) [Alexander Gilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gilkes/) > [People need to understand that the technology is for them. It's not to them. It's not over them. People still sometimes want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/people-need-to-understand-that-the-technology-is-for-them-it-s-not-to/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [If people are being left behind, impoverished economically or even culturally, they will always be easily targeted by demagogues of any stripe, exploiting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/if-people-are-being-left-behind-impoverished-economically-or-even/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) ## More by Dean Kamen > [I started realizing that I wasn't so dumb; rather, most people simply didn't know the answers to the questions that I was interested in-or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/i-started-realizing-that-i-wasn-t-so-dumb-rather-most-people-simply/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [Inspiration comes from the heart. The letter ‘I’ is the heart of F”I”RST… (F Inspiration R S T).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/inspiration-comes-from-the-heart-the-letter-i-is-the-heart-of-f-i-rst/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [“In a world of material goods and material exchange trade. I have got a hunk of gold and you have a watch. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/in-a-world-of-material-goods-and-material-exchange-trade-i-have-got-a/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [I consider high-speed data transmission an invention that became a major innovation. It changed the way we all communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/i-consider-high-speed-data-transmission-an-invention-that-became-a/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [In some cases, inventions prohibit innovation because we're so caught up in playing with the technology, we forget about the fact that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/in-some-cases-inventions-prohibit-innovation-because-we-re-so-caught/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [The city needs a car like a fish needs a bicycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/the-city-needs-a-car-like-a-fish-needs-a-bicycle/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [I'm a human entropy producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/i-m-a-human-entropy-producer/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [Americans thinking that America will continue to lead the world in innovation and quality of life without some quick and serious educational improvements are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/americans-thinking-that-america-will-continue-to-lead-the-world-in/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [ \[Chuck's wife\] was standing behind me at the time and she said, 'Chuck hasn't fed himself in 19 years. So, you've got a choice:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/chuck-s-wife-was-standing-behind-me-at-the-time-and-she-said-chuck/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [We can't live any more in a world which is based on stuff and not ideas. If you want to live with the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/we-can-t-live-any-more-in-a-world-which-is-based-on-stuff-and-not/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [The word entrepreneur is associated with success and adventure. From my life, the only thing I can tell you that's consistently associated with entrepreneurship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/the-word-entrepreneur-is-associated-with-success-and-adventure-from/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [Clearly, there are many places where diesel is king or gas-turbine is king, or IC engines will win, but there are many places in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/clearly-there-are-many-places-where-diesel-is-king-or-gas-turbine-is/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [Innovation needs to be nurtured throughout an organization. Management is doing things right, whereas leadership is doing the right things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/innovation-needs-to-be-nurtured-throughout-an-organization-management/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [Everybody has to be able to participate in a future that they want to live for. That's what technology can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/everybody-has-to-be-able-to-participate-in-a-future-that-they-want-to/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [If history is any indication, all truths will eventually turn out to be false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/if-history-is-any-indication-all-truths-will-eventually-turn-out-to/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) [Explore all 57 Dean Kamen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Invention and entrepreneurship isn't about pure technology. Most people take whatever they see in front of them and relate it to something they understand. For at least ten years after Ford started building cars, people called them horseless carriages. It wasn't obvious to call it a car. They used to call the radio 'the wireless.' 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