Organic Startup Ideas

The most effective startup ideas are often born out of your own needs—what do you wish existed for you? Apple and the iPhone are prime examples, stemming from personal desires of their creators. Our venture, Viaweb, contrasted this by targeting a broader user base we weren't part of. However, successful startups tend to align more with the personal-need origin.

Young founders excel at generating 'organic' startup ideas—solutions to problems they personally experience. This is because predicting what others will want requires experience. The worst pitches we see at Y Combinator are from young entrepreneurs guessing at others' needs.

To uncover these organic ideas, ask yourself: What's missing or broken in my life? Often, great ideas are hidden in plain sight, dismissed as too trivial or 'just a project.' Facebook and Apple started this way—seemingly insignificant fixes to personal annoyances.

Don't underestimate ideas that seem like toys. History shows that many now-essential technologies began as novelties. Young founders, in touch with the latest technologies, are uniquely positioned to identify and address these emerging needs.

If you're looking to start a startup, focus on the idea more than the startup itself. By simply resolving issues that affect you, you may inadvertently create something valuable for many, thus forming a company.

Remember, the key is to find a widespread need that is just becoming solvable—that's your gold mine. While it still requires effort to extract the value, knowing where to dig is the most challenging part.

Note to self: If revisiting Viaweb, I'd immerse myself in the user experience. For anyone starting out, become your user—even if it feels unnatural. This deep understanding can be crucial to your success.

The original article: https://paulgraham.com/organic.html