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SA

Sam Altman

06/21/25

@ Y Combinator

The best startups are often not doing what everyone else is doing, which allows them time to develop their product and technology before facing competition.

Video

YC

Sam Altman: The Future of OpenAI, ChatGPT's Origins, and Building AI Hardware

@ Y Combinator

Sam Altman: The Future of OpenAI, ChatGPT's Origins, and Building AI Hardware

06/21/25

Related Takeaways

TB

Tikhon Bernstam

09/09/17

@ Y Combinator

Second-time founders often feel pressure to come up with a genius idea, but the best startups usually succeed by simply doing something better than existing options.

KS

Karri Saarinen

06/05/25

@ FirstRoundCapital

Startups often make the mistake of trying to emulate other companies; instead, they should do the opposite of what competitors are doing.

SA

Sam Altman

06/21/25

@ Y Combinator

Defensibility in startups often comes from doing something unique that others aren't pursuing. The most enduring companies typically find ways to differentiate themselves from the competition.

PG

Paul Graham

03/19/17

@ Y Combinator

The best startup ideas often begin as side projects because they are outliers that your conscious mind might reject as viable business ideas.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

11/18/22

@ Y Combinator

Founders often overlook ideas that seem hard to start, are in boring spaces, or have existing competitors, but these can actually be good opportunities because they are less pursued by others.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

05/18/24

@ Y Combinator

While many startups may not succeed, they are often just one decision away from significant breakthroughs, unlike working on projects in large companies that may never see the light of day.

HI

Harvard Innovation Labs Cast

06/12/13

@ Harvard Innovation Labs

In a startup, the only advantage you have is time, so you must move quickly to capitalize on your ideas before established competitors.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

01/16/25

@ Y Combinator

Startups should not fear the speed of execution of large companies, as they often move slowly, creating opportunities for agile startups to innovate and capture market share.

KG

Ken Griffin

05/01/25

@ Stanford Graduate School of Business

You need to think outside the box when building a startup and find ways to solve problems that competitors are not addressing.