Blog 5: Reflection on Startup.com (2001)

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The documentary Startup.com(2001) follows the journey of govWorks, a tech startup founded in late 1990s by two lifelong friends, Tom Herman and Kaleil Isaza Tuzman. It was set against the backdrop of the dot-com boom, the idea behind govWorks was to build an online platform that streamlines interactions with the local government like paying parking tickets and filing building permits. The ambitious goal attracted a lot of interest which led to the company securing millions in venture capital funding.


As the film unfolds, we begin to see the founders navigating complex challenges of running a high-stakes startup. From intense competition with other startups to technical setbacks to high expectations from investors. Kaliel’s role was the charismatic CEO which often put him in the spotlight and Tom was more focused on product development. They both had different ideas as to how to run the business. As their business grew, we witnessed as stress, pressure and power deteriorated their friendship to the point where it is now irreparable. 


The documentary highlights the intense toll of running a startup, from the pressures to succeed to possible impact on personal relationships. The end of the documentary ends up capturing the inevitable failure of govWorks during the Dot-Com Bubble Burst. The Dot-Com Bubble Burst was a major economic crash in the early 2000s which was caused by the sudden collapse of several internet companies that were exponentially growing in the late 1990s. 


In recent years, Kaleil Isaza Tuzman was convicted of multiple counts of fraud 2017. Tom Herman however, leads a quieter life and stays out of the media spotlight. He pursued other tech projects and became a software developer. 


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