In the case of Bob Langer + mRNA, founding team connected the dots btw the need to deliver large molecules for treating cancer + the need to deliver mRNA for a better vaccine .
A P-type #loonshot is a crazy product or technology no one thinks will work (transistor, digital camera, etc.)
S-type is a crazy strategy no one thinks will work. E.g. opening a retail store far from big cities, where there's no foot traffic (Walmart). /2
It matters because like batters in baseball, leaders and innovators tend to favor one over the other. And just like in baseball, we can become so much more powerful if we learn how to switch hit. /3
What?! 1- @Theteamatx has midwifed Waymo, Verily, Wing, Chronicle, Smart Glasses (early flop as consumer; used widely in other apps) and many v promising projects now in development (e.g. robotics, energy, food) /1
2- Timeline to measure success for many of these projects is years out, so how would one judge failure now?? (3 years after invention of the transistor there were no applications and no revenue - so was the transistor a "failure" at that point?) /2
3- It's returned many times its invested capital and had many terrific indirect spillover benefits for the mother ship (separate but v important story) /3