The Reddits

March 2024

I encountered the founders of Reddit before the inception of Y Combinator, which was inspired by a talk I gave at the Harvard Computer Society. Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian traveled from the University of Virginia to attend this talk, showcasing their dedication. Initially, they pitched an idea related to ordering fast food via cellphones, which was impractical at the time due to technological and partnership constraints. Despite rejecting their initial idea, I was impressed by their intellect and energy, prompting the creation of Y Combinator to support such innovative minds.

The concept of Reddit emerged when I suggested they pivot from their original idea to focus on a link-sharing platform, inspired by the functionality of Delicious.com. This pivot was crucial, as it aligned with Steve's intellectual curiosity and skepticism towards authority, embodying the essence of Reddit's community-driven content.

Reddit's development was rapid, launching within three weeks into the first Y Combinator batch. The platform's growth was gradual but consistent, proving its resilience and fundamental utility. Despite management challenges, Reddit's traffic continued to grow, underscoring its unique position in the digital landscape.

Upon Steve Huffman's return in 2015, Reddit demonstrated its potential to exceed expectations, reaffirming its significance beyond being a mere player in Silicon Valley. Steve's ongoing creativity and leadership suggest that Reddit's influence and innovation are far from reaching their limits.

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