Ask HN: Which startups are you most envious of? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Which startups are you most envious of?

9 pointstwidlit12 comments

This could be a good exercise on what motivates us and how founders view other founders...

Square

1) They solved a really hard problem. Basically they opened channels for merchants that used to only be able to take cash to credit cards. I have already used this twice on the consumer end. Once at a concert to buy a tshirt, once a cupcake food truck downtown.

2) They did an exceptional job of design in both hardware and software.

3) They had a real vision on their own, 'Apple Style' where they saw the problem and had a vision to a real solution. They didn't have to make a MVP and keep iterating (not that doing that is a bad idea) but have a vision that turns out to be true is always very impressive to me.

4) They executed in a exceptional time period. They had everything in place from from engineer to design and operation in the amount of time other startups take to make a webapp that is much less as sensitive (read: involves larges of amounts of money in a traditionally slow industry).

Of companies that are still in "startup mode" it's hard to say. Of recent (or semi-recent) startups that have achieved success, or some degree of success:

1. Tesla Motors - because they build sweet products and have a CEO who I admire.

2. Facebook - because they've made their founders a metric buttload of money, and have impacted millions (if not billions) of people around the world.

3. Scaled Composites - Because they're on the forefront of doing something amazing... making space-travel dramatically more practical and accessible.

I'm envious of any space startup that actually has working hardware. Scaled Composites, SpaceX, Armadillo, and Blue Origin are all super exciting.

I'm envious of any space startup that actually has working hardware. Scaled Composites, SpaceX, Armadillo, and Blue Origin are all super exciting.

Can't argue with that! I named Scaled Composites mostly because I'm more familiar with what they've done than I am with the others. But that's not to take anything away from the other space startups, for sure.

Square, before anything else. I literally had a startup-gasm after the website was fully loaded.

After that, I'd say SpaceX, for making private-owned space travel a reality, and then Dropbox, for revolutionizing (in a way) the way we synchronize our files between devices.

The last two will (hopefully) be a basis for my future startup(s).

'The last two will (hopefully) be a basis for my future startup(s).'

So is that SpaceboX - synchronize files between spaceships and Earth?

You just gave me a better idea. Thanks.

1. Tesla Motors - going after the throat of (harmful) giants

2. Kiva.org - very effective and very practical

I guess it depends on what stage of startup you talk about.

Early-stage: Pinterest and Instagram Growth stage: Tumblr Late Stage: Zynga

I would have been envious of Groupon if they sold to Google for $6 billion. Now? Not so much.

Khan Academy and Groupon.

AirBnB

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