Day two of #TCDisrupt2024, and it’s invigorating to be surrounded by so many founders.
The energy is infectious, whether it’s hearing pitches or listening to veteran investors like Vinod Khosla reflect on his storied career. One thing Khosla said stuck with me: “Media was disrupted by people who didn’t know they were in the media business.” It wasn’t NBC or Comcast; it was Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter that massively innovated the media space.
This got me thinking about innovation. Why does disruption often come from outsiders?
There are plenty of examples. Impossible Foods didn’t start out competing with meat companies; it aimed to solve ethical issues within the food industry.
Amazon started as a simple online bookstore but went on to disrupt retail and cloud computing. Companies like Tesla and Square followed similar paths, reshaping their respective industries from the outside.
I believe this shows that disruption isn’t about expertise in a particular industry. Instead, it’s about having a fresh perspective and entrepreneurial grit. Time and time again, it’s the outsiders who change the world, proving that innovation is more about vision and determination than about being an industry insider.
Comments