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MP

Matthew Prince

10/15/14

@ Y Combinator

Being naive about industry norms allowed us to innovate without the constraints of traditional expectations.

Video

YC

Michelle Zatlyn and Matthew Prince at Startup School SV 2014

@ Y Combinator

Michelle Zatlyn and Matthew Prince at Startup School SV 2014

10/15/14

Related Takeaways

RR

Robert Rodriguez

04/17/25

@ Lex Fridman

Sometimes, not knowing the limitations can lead to innovation; being naive can allow you to create things that others think are impossible.

SA

Sam Altman

08/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Inexperience can be a blessing for startups, as it allows them to pursue ambitious ideas without being held back by conventional wisdom.

AW

Alexandr Wang

11/14/23

@ Accel

There's a huge premium to naivety in AI; approaching industries with a blank slate can lead to accomplishments that others find difficult due to their preconceived notions.

SB

Steve Ballmer

06/02/25

@ Acquired

We got caught in the mindset of being just a platform company, which limited our ability to innovate and adapt to new market demands.

KS

Keith Schacht

11/27/17

@ Y Combinator

We didn't know we were competing against big companies like McGraw Hill and Pearson, and that ignorance allowed us to pursue our vision without fear of failure.

PB

Paul Buchheit

07/31/14

@ Y Combinator

To be innovative, we need to evade the limitations of established thinking and be open to new ideas.

SA

Sam Altman

11/09/24

@ Y Combinator

We started with many assumptions about technology and our company structure, and we learned from being wrong.

JL

Jessica Livingston

06/27/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

I learned that sometimes ignorance can lead to unique strengths, as our inexperience in angel investing led to the successful batch funding model at Y Combinator.

HI

Harvard Innovation Labs Cast

02/02/14

@ Harvard Innovation Labs

The startup world allows for creative thinking without constraints, enabling you to differentiate your business model in innovative ways.