Meredith WhittakerJul 25, 2024

Catching up on some of the "Little Tech" rhetoric from a16z. A lot more to say here.

But one thing that stands out as a rhetorical flaw in the pitch: curbing Big Tech startup acquisitions is listed as bad for little tech. Even as little tech is presented as the enabler of competition and innovation, contra Big Tech's market consolidation. Consolidation that is, of course, facilitated via acquisitions.

https://pmarca.substack.com/p/the-little-tech-agenda

THE LITTLE TECH AGENDA

Marc Andreessen & Ben Horowitz, July 5, 2024

Marc Andreessen Substack
Show threadMeredith WhittakerJul 25, 2024
Of course, VC's require an exit, and an acquisition is the classic exit. But a healthy and competitive innovation landscape does not.
Show threadMarcel Weiß
@Mer__edith It can be self-serving and correct at the same time. In aggregate, less potential exit options lead to less startups being created / funded.
Jul 25, 2024 at 10:56amWeb
Show threadMeredith WhittakerJul 25, 2024
@marcelweiss are you arguing that startups, in themselves, are good for innovation/competition? Such that maximizing their number alone is a boon to innovation/competition?
Show threadMarcel WeißJul 25, 2024

@Mer__edith this reads like an angrily typed setup but..yes I do? (except for the "maximizing their number alone" bit of course)

In general, young organisations can move faster and are more flexible to adress the needs of their environment than older, established organisations. Older orgs have inertia and ressources on their side.