Paul Graham: nearly all startup ideas are duplicable—their value is what they lead to
garrytan · x · 2026-09-06
Paul Graham told a demoralized founder that nearly all startup ideas are easily duplicated at first—their real value lies in the follow-on ideas they lead to. Suhail, retweeting, added that there are very few original startup ideas: most success comes from adapting and learning from the market as you go, and founders should prepare for that pivotal moment. Garry Tan amplified the exchange.
Related event: Paul Graham: Don't Fear Copyable Ideas, Their Value Is in What They Spawn(2 posts)→
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