In Chen's Cold Start Theory, 'escape velocity' refers to the point at which a networked product or service has gained enough traction in its initial, smaller network (or 'atomic network') to begin expanding into larger networks. It's the critical momentum needed to overcome the initial challenges of starting up and to start growing at a rapid pace.
When a networked product launches, it faces a chicken-and-egg problem: people need to use it for it...
View summary