News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Y Combinator often backs startups that duplicate other YC companies, data shows. Parent comment

Re:Y Combinator often backs startups that duplicate other YC... by keiferski on Tuesday November 26, 2024 @11:21AM (#42247011)
But AirBnb didn't "completely solve" the hotel industry, and hotels still exist. If anything, they seem to still basically be operating in the same space as they started: owner-based rentals, for both individual rooms and entire properties.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Y Combinator often backs startups that duplicate other YC... by j45 on Tuesday November 26, 2024 @03:01PM (#42249409)
It disrupted it in the way of bringing new inventory online, and owning demand search for lodging while travelling, without owning any assets like hotels.

This pattern, of owning demand for food (instacart), transport (uber, etc), delivery (uber eats, etc) is a different model that doesn't own the assets outright and facilitates it instead.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Y Combinator often backs startups that duplicate other YC... by 999900000999 on Wednesday November 27, 2024 @02:36AM (#42253863)
Ignoring local regulations, like Uber also was an "innovation".

Uber is a net good since it reduces drunk driving. Not sure about Airbnb destroying the rental market...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Y Combinator often backs startups that duplicate other YC... by keiferski on Wednesday November 27, 2024 @10:36AM (#42256848)
Well, one data point: Airbnb cheap rooms allowed me to travel widely while in my twenties. I definitely couldn’t have done so if I needed to pay for hotels. This very much changed the trajectory of my life.

That said, I was an active member of couchsurfing.org prior to Airbnb eating its lunch, so maybe you could make the argument that we’d be off better as a whole with a free community-oriented platform.

[ Parent | on HN ]