In the late 1970s James Dyson was furious that his vacuum lost suction as the bag filled, so he set out to remove the bag and spin the dust out with a cyclone. It took five years and 5,126 failed prototypes; every major manufacturer turned the design down, so he launched it himself. Dyson is now a privately held engineering company spanning vacuums, hair care and air treatment, and its founder is worth around $16B. The definitive story on iteration.

Why it's indexed

5,127 prototypes before the first product shipped.
Rejected by every manufacturer; launched it himself and kept ownership.
A ~$16B founder fortune built on one solved annoyance.

Coverage

Founder short: James DysonFounder short

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