Don't Worry About the Vase Podcast Startup Roundup #3
Sep 3, 2025
Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator, shares his profound insights on the startup ecosystem. He discusses the challenge of discerning valuable advice in a sea of conflicting opinions and the dangers of high valuations in fundraising. Graham also highlights the unique challenges in Germany's investment landscape and introduces a structured approach for evaluating startup ideas. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging weaknesses and the risks of excessive optimism in tech, warning against blind accountability while encouraging innovative thinking.
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Building Scalable Things Trumps Alternatives
- Building real things that scale creates far more value than ordinary jobs and lets founders capture much more of that value.
- The VC system is inefficient and perverse but still beats alternatives because it enables building at scale.
Treat VC Advice With Healthy Skepticism
- Venture capitalists give lots of advice that mixes useful culture with self-interested messaging.
- Treat VC guidance as partially strategic and protect your own interests when they conflict with yours.
Be Big-Minded But Prudent With YC
- Think big and aim for scalable outcomes, but remember VCs want bigger swings than you might need.
- Use YC if available: the reputation lift usually outweighs the equity they take for early-stage startups.