The concept of escape velocity can be applied to the Cold Start Problem in the context of networked products. Escape velocity, in physics, is the minimum speed needed for an object to escape the gravitational influence of a massive body. In the context of the Cold Start Problem, it could refer to the minimum momentum or user base a networked product needs to overcome the initial inertia and start growing on its own. Once this 'escape velocity' is achieved, the network effect kicks in and the product becomes more valuable as more people use it, similar to how an object in space continues moving once it has escaped the planet's gravity.
When a networked product launches, it faces a chicken-and-egg problem: people need to use it for it...
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