Ask HN: How much does “the idea” matter in a startup? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How much does “the idea” matter in a startup?

None, zero, zilch, because it's highly unlikely that you were the first to think of it and that it will remian the same as it was at inception.

Ideas evolve with the company and it's execution that matters most.

If that were the case, most companies (organizations) would not go to great lengths to protect their IP (e.g., via patents and trade secrets).

Patents are not for ideas, you can only patent processes, which one could define as the execution of the idea

"... you can only patent processes ..." -- This is not true, as far as I know. Patents are about invention / innovation (not necessarily in a process-focused format). For example, see https://www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/general-inform.... Many, if not the most, patents are essentially about idea or a coherent set of ideas, which sometimes is/are "wrapped" into a process-focused legalese of a varied "thickness".

Truly new and novel ideas are rejected, then ridiculed and maybe after a long time grudgingly accepted.

The key is to implement ideas effectively, market them well, sell effectively and provide excellent support. Failing any of these and it will join the massive graveyard of failures. For every successful idea there are hundreds that failed.

As for IP protection, that is a very expensive game. It costs a fortune to get a patent and then if your idea does succeed then you will spend many multiples more suing the infringers, many of them being large corporations with even bigger funds to pay their lawyers.

When you say "idea" these things rarely thrive in a vacuum. What is really key is 1) What is the problem being addressed? 2) Why is our approach unique, effective, more profitable etc. So I would say it is very important to be very clear about these. Execution is a given, if you don't execute well you won't compete and you won't provide a great solution.

The idea doesn't really matter, so long as the customer stays the same. The concept that keeping the same customer and approach to distribution and changing the proudct is a pivot is strange. Basically every B2B company I've met chooses a customer and a price point and fills in the details with the right product. That or random luck discovery (or both).

A "startup" typically implies hyper-growth. That means raising money, hiring, and motivating the team to execute quickly, all of which is easier with the right vision/idea.

If you were a VC or a prospective employee deciding between many companies wouldn't the "idea" be the first filter you use ?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com