Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#1

Post by sendos » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:38 PM UTC

Common knowledge here on HN and among many startup folks is that ideas are worthless, and only execution counts.

If that's the case, why are some startups in stealth mode? If they have a great team that can execute, why should they care if anyone else knows what they are working on? If something is worthless, I shouldn't mind giving it to someone else. If I do mind someone else sharing what I have, it means I place some value on it.

Are some startups correct in wanting to be in stealth mode, or is it always a stupid idea?

If it makes sense that some startups should be in stealth mode, doesn't that imply that the knowledge of what they are working on has some value, which would mean that ideas sometimes do have value?

Maybe I'm missing something, either in what people mean by "ideas are worthless, execution is the only thing that counts", or in what people mean when they say that a startup is in stealth mode, or something else.

What do you guys think?

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#2

Post by osipov » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:43 PM UTC

because all ideas are worthless but some ideas are more worthless than others ;)

On a serious note, some ideas can produce multi-billion dollar businesses while other ideas have limited, niche potential. Hence a greater incentive to keep the idea secret.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#3

Post by bizwiz2 » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:44 PM UTC

Because sometimes opportunities for your execution can only be had by be stealthy or by being first.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#4

Post by byoung2 » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:48 PM UTC

It makes sense to stay in stealth mode if you believe that someone else can execute on your idea before you can. For a simple idea (e.g. Foursquare for dating), if your idea gets out, there could be another team who could whip up a prototype in a few weeks, so maybe it's better to stay stealth. For something like RethinkDB, there's little risk in revealing your idea, because it would be very difficult for someone else to execute their idea first.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#5

Post by spoiledtechie » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:50 PM UTC

I have several ideas that could make millions. Honestly, but I am only one person and I don't have a team of developers. Wish I did, but I don't. I also don't have the money to quit my job either. So I keep my ideas extremely close to center so I can work on them one at a time.

Heck, I even have an idea that would change the way politics in general is viewed by the public. Its revolutionary and could have a huge influence on changing the world, but I currently can't develop for it because I don't have the time. Its an amazing idea and I wish it was out there, but I would rather wait till I personally can change the world. I don't want someone else doing it, so I keep my idea private until Im ready to start working on it.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#6

Post by wrs » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:53 PM UTC

The PR value of launching a complete product can be higher than trickling out iterations on an idea. "Today we're announcing we think we know how to build a faster database" vs. "Today we're announcing we've built a database that benchmarks 10X faster than MySQL" -- which one gets more headlines?

Of course you could trickle out ideas and then launch, but that risks being regarded as "old news" when you finally do release a product. That's totally unfair but often does happen.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#7

Post by coryl » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:56 PM UTC

spoiledtechie wrote: post #5

I have several ideas that could make millions. Honestly, but I am only one person and I don't have a team of developers. Wish I did, but I don't. I also don't have the money to quit my job either. So I keep my ideas extremely close to center so I can work on them one at a time. Heck, I even have an idea that would change the way politics in general is viewed by the public. Its revolutionary and could have a huge infl…

I think you may be in for a hard reality check one of these days. Everyone has ideas, million dollar ideas, and excuses as to why they can't implement them.

But only after you've tried to execute them (and failed) will you discover that its not as easy as you think, and that your million dollar ideas were garbage.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#8

Post by p206 » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:56 PM UTC

Another question could be "why are we often being told that ideas are worthless?" IMHO it's because the focus should be on getting things done instead of sitting around while trying to come up with a "perfect" idea. This advice is valid in a specific situation that companies in stealth mode are just not in.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#9

Post by kashif » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:57 PM UTC

because some people disagree with that idea. I don't.

Re: Ask HN: If ideas are worthless, why are some startups in stealth mode?

#10

Post by SMrF » Wed, Jul 07, 2010, 8:58 PM UTC

I wish I had time to write a longer post, but I have to catch my train. Suffice it to say the stealth startup is a relic. It's like waterfall methodology is to agile development. It had its day and its uses, but now there are better ways to create a startup.

Here is a fantastic essay on this very topic: http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/01/achieving-failu...