Ask HN: A High Profile Startup Guy Ripped us Off. What's the best move?
I submitted my startup for inclusion in a large Silicon Valley event. I knew the guy running the event had a semi-competing portfolio investment. I did worry he he might like our approach and push them down that route after seeing our thing, but figured it was worth the risk since we're launching this new product very soon anyway.
We made it multiple steps into the process and they expressed interest but then we were rejected without any explanation. No problem though, we weren't all that excited about the event and it's their thing, their call.
I am upset though that his portfolio company did a pretty significant pivot exactly in the direction we are going less than a month later. They rushed out a shitty hack of our concept.
Ultimately we're not really worried about them. They've been around for something like 4 years and don't seem to have much of a clue. We're confident that we'll kick their ass. What does it say about a company that they pivot the company around their investor's stolen concept in a month (after about 5 other pivots prior)
Anyway. A part of me really wants to rip this guy a new one. This is clearly a pattern for him. All of his own startups are ripoff ideas of other peoples and I could easily detail that and tear him a new one. It's very tempting and would be extremely cathartic I think.
On other hand: I'm not actually worried about the copycat or the investor affecting my startup in any practical sense. Users don't care about the inside baseball or the drama of copycats.
I guess I know what the logical answer is: let it slide. But there is a part of me that really wants to do what feels right: expose the scoundrels.