Daktronics Hits $19M Homer at Yankee Stadium

Daktronics -- you might have heard of them: little Brookings company, started by a couple of professors working in a 250-square-foot garage 40 years ago, now employing 3017 full-time and 826 part-time and student workers? Yeah, those guys.

Dr. Kurtenbach has just added a little more to the company's $430M/yr revenues and 15% annual growth rate: Daktronics will be doing over $19 million of work for the New York Yankees, installing the video and scoreboard systems in the new Yankee Stadium (AP, "Daktronics Wins Yankee Stadium Contract," Yankton Press & Dakotan, 2007.12.18]. When the new stadium opens in 2009, it will have over 10 million LED's winking and blinking in nearly 50 displays, including a quarter-mile-long ribbon board. Very cool.

So hey, you guys at the Center for Technoentrepreneurism: which one of you is the next Daktronics? You can make it happen, right here in Madison. Just remember what Dr. Kurtenbach said every entrepreneur needs:

1. Alertness and ability to see opportunity
2. Commitment to responsibility: If you tell a customer you're going to deliver at a certain time, you better do it!
3. Specific knowledge
4. Perseverance: People will tell you you're nuts. Don't let them stop you!
5. Willingness to present and promote: quit hiding behind your weaknesses; get out there and do it!
6. Ability to adapt quickly: everything changes; so must you!

So batter up! Dream it and do it!