Archive: competition
First Mover Advantage Is Not as Important as You Think
By Vin Narayanan on January 25, 2023
I skipped out on Wordle-mania two years ago. The game (in which users get six chances to guess a five-letter word) launched in October 2021. And it took off. People shared their Wordle successes and strategies on Twitter and Facebook. Companies started creating Slack channels for Wordle so it wouldn’t interfere with messages about actual work. It was almost impossible to make it through the day without seeing a Wordle post.
Why Competition Is Critical for Startup Investors
By Vin Narayanan on September 7, 2022
I had a chance to play poker with some founders a few weeks ago at LA Tech Week. I mostly kept my mouth shut at the table. Between the game and flowing drinks, the founders were in a chatty mood. And I didn’t want to interrupt the flow.
Lessons From a New Startup Investor
By Allison Brickell on April 6, 2022
I’ve been working at investment-related companies since 2015. But I’m still pretty new to the investing world. My background is in communication and journalism, not finance. So for the last seven years or so, I’ve been researching the online startup markets and observing my colleagues’ approach to investing.
Startup Insider: Why You’re Analyzing Competition All Wrong
By Early Investing on March 3, 2022
Competition is an essential part of the startup world. When evaluating a startup, investors need to study its target industry and understand what its competition looks like. But this is where investors typically fall into a trap. If the startup has a lot of competitors, investors…
Venture Capital Is Facing Real Competition at Last
By Adam Sharp on March 19, 2021
On Monday, the SEC’s new startup investing rules went into effect. Startups can now raise $5 million annually through equity crowdfunding. That’s a 5x increase from the previous limit. I really can’t overstate how important this change is. It’s a monumental moment for startups — and…
Startup Insider: Check Out the Competition
By Early Investing on October 26, 2020
When we evaluate startups, one of the key factors we look at is competitors. Who are the company’s competitors? Is the startup competing against other startups or against legacy companies? How does this competition affect its chances of success? And…
Mailbag: Lessons Learned From Bad Investments
By Early Investing on October 20, 2019
In this week’s Mailbag, Andy Gordon shares what he learned from the worst investment he ever made and Adam Sharp explains why he’s not buying Beyond Meat.
Mailbag: Disruptors Can Still Be Disrupted
By Early Investing on September 22, 2019
In this week’s Mailbag, the Early Investing team explains the difference between seed and Series A companies and what bitcoin maximalists get wrong.
KingsCrowd Underweight Deal: Nothing to Get Charged Up About
By Chris Lustrino on August 29, 2019
In this guest piece, KingsCrowd explains why Hoplite Power is not a good investment.
The Transition From Private to Public Markets Isn’t Always Pretty
By Andy Gordon on May 17, 2019
Successful startups aren’t always a welcome addition to the public markets. Sometimes the competition is bad news for everyone.
Seven Reasons Why Startups Fail
By Andy Gordon on March 20, 2019
Startups can fail for a number of reasons. And for founders, clarity often comes late.