[mchannon]

Find a customer, any customer. If you're light years ahead of the competition, they'll say so.

If you built something you can't sell, then it's not worth anything to the market.

Don't worry about your superior competition getting the jump on your technology. They'll do fine without and they know it (and it's your uphill battle to prove them wrong). They're superior because they sell more than you do, and that part of the operation is an essential part it appears you have overlooked.

If you thought selling was hard, try raising money.

Definitely shake down your friends and family if they've got money to speculate with, as they tend to offer ridiculously friendly terms. Traditional investors will leverage your limited runway against you, so don't waste your time with them until your circumstances require you devote your full time to hitting them up.

The thing that impresses investors most is knowing you don't need their money. The way to get there? Sell your product and get your customers to love you.

[rajacombinator]

Yep forget about all that stealth nonsense. No customers, no business.