Ask HN: We have a great team and capital but can't find a good idea

http://ecorner.stanford.edu/podcasts/2054/Young-at-Heart-How...

The TLDR is to be aware of what is going on around you. He gives examples of that in action including a couple that stuck with me regarding the turnstiles at the Paris airport and children's toothbrushes. Things that are so obvious in retrospect but it takes stopping and observing in order to identify the problem.

My favorite quote from the talk, "Be childlike as often as possible. Be childish as little as you can."

(If you're looking to do something in financial services I think there are still a lot of problems that need to be solved and tons of opportunity over the next decade as demographics shift. Just think of what has happened in the past fifteen years. People used to do their banking in person. Now people even considering going to an ATM an inconvenience. Let's talk.)

Imagine something that must be here 30 years from now. Invent the future. (Alan Kay)

And like others comments have said, I would also start thinking very critically about your self assessment of having a "great team". I could give you 10 viable business ideas before breakfast (actually, it is before breakfast for me!) Ideas are cheap to the point of being worthless. If you don't realise that, it's because you are likely inexperienced. This is not a criticism, just an observation. I would start by cashing one of those "blank cheques" and go looking for someone with experience who can help you. You are looking for someone technical who can give you sound advice about how to execute well building a product from end to end.

You may be thinking that the technical person on your team is who you need. But what ever the academic credentials and how ever smart the person is, execution relies on having done it all before. It relies on having failed a hundred times before finally finding the one way that works.

Finally, no matter if you follow my previous advice or not, begin by beginning. Like I said, good ideas are so common that they are worthless. You will either succeed through good execution or good luck. So start. Follow this advice: http://wiki.c2.com/?PlanToThrowOneAway

There are hundreds of apps out there, and they all suck.

A really compelling app could sweep the market.