Y Combinator

JANUARY 21, 2021

There is a clear opportunity to upend the status quo, but its intricacies have made freight one of the toughest sectors in which to build an online marketplace. In the last few years, incumbents have started to adopt technology to fix inefficiencies, but they’ve focused on tools to streamline individual tasks (e.g., We invested anyway.

incumbents 70

incumbents transportation networking mix-use 70

OurCrowd

AUGUST 14, 2019

Today’s digital e-commerce successes aren’t merely developing strategies to expand beyond borders as quickly as possible – they are a new generation of firms that are “born online” and later build out physical spaces as they grow. Other born-online companies include Warby Parker, Bonobos, Everlane and Allbirds.

sustainability 51

sustainability incumbents technology strategy 51

This is going to be BIG.

MARCH 14, 2013

Being on those lists and getting into certain events has real impact on your opportunity set, and that's not b t at all. Did I miss an opportunity to get to know someone that I should have taken? Marketing is a key component of any product strategy, especially when that product is yourself. Where did I make that wrong turn?

peer-to-peer 332

peer-to-peer incumbents opportunity media 332

A Smart Bear

FEBRUARY 26, 2019

Startup strategy is like Kung Fu. Founders almost never have a real strategy. They say things like “we have a unique feature” and “the incumbents are dumb,” which might be true, but isn’t a strategy. HT Jeff Bezos) You want to argue that the future is unknowable, but that’s just an excuse for not having a strategy.

culture 161

culture strategy SaaS founder 161

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 13, 2011

We look at huge markets where there are large incumbents that might not be incented to innovate or react to what they perceive as an insurgent. It allows him the opportunity to do what he does best, finding and motivating entrepreneurs then thinking through market strategy. I run Revolution’s VC investments.

founder 277

founder venture capital media strategy 277

Haystack

JULY 20, 2018

More recently, this trend has shifted a bit within the Bay Area, which today’s giants like Uber, Airbnb, and Stripe being built in San Francisco proper while incumbents down south have begun scooping up premium commercial real estate in the city. I have been reading Fred’s blog AVC for about a decade now. Learning From USV and Foundry.

investing 116

investing investment venture capital peer-to-peer 116

TechCrunch

JUNE 5, 2022

And this gives Affirm an opportunity to generate more revenue as it makes money in part on interest fees. But it is illustrative of the measures that financial services companies — incumbents and fintechs alike — are taking to make their installment loans available to more consumers. Fundings and M&A. Seen on TechCrunch.

incumbents 96

incumbents financing finance pitching 96