[forgottenpass]

Is he saying the end results of the project [...] did not have enough economic value to sustain the project... and hence founders were "forced" to collect data as a means to generate value?

I don't see any reason to read that into his speech. We're used to the "you pay or are the product" dichotomy being propagandized at us as the reason for accepting surveillance business models. I don't see that here. I see it more like describing the realization that there is an(other) revenue stream staring the creator in the face.