Get away from “tarpit ideas”

These ideas are deceptive in appearance and present themselves with a disconcerting ease as obvious, until one wonders why no one has solved them before.

In the search for startup ideas, it often happens that founders come across some seemingly obvious and simple ideas that they should be wary of, as they risk wasting their time and precious resources. Y Combinator often warns of the difficulty and even the danger of certain startup ideas that come up almost every year in the applications they receive. These ideas, which they call "tarpit ideas", are deceptive in appearance and present themselves with a disconcerting ease as obvious, until one wonders why no one has solved them before. Jared Friedman, a YC partner for many years, has analyzed this phenomenon, here is what he has drawn from it.

“What is a tarpit idea? It's a certain set of startup ideas that have been around for a long time and people have been trying to solve them for years, but they never seem to get anywhere. We call them tarpit ideas. These ideas form around a problem that lots of people have, but there is a structural reason why it's hard (or impossible) to solve. For example, the problem of making plans with friends on Friday or Saturday night. It seems like a problem that could be solved easily with an app, but no one has been able to do it in 20 years. That's why these ideas are so dangerous : they look simple, but they are much harder than they seem. “

Nevertheless, it may be possible to distinguish them and avoid falling into their trap.

To avoid falling into the trap of tarpit ideas, it is important to be able to identify and understand the underlying challenges of any idea. There are several steps you can take:

Research the market: Before you start any new project, it is important to do your research and see if the problem you are trying to solve has already been addressed by other companies. If it has, you should endeavor to understand why their solutions have not been successful. Are the solutions too expensive? Is the solution too complex? Or is there an element of the solution that people don't understand? It is important to understand these issues so that you can tailor your solution and create something that is different and better. Additionally, you should also look into the competition and see what they have done. Do they have any advantages that you can learn from? Or do they have any weaknesses that you can capitalize on? Doing this research can help you create a better solution that stands out from the rest.

Talk to potential customers: take the time to understand the customer's perspective to gain an insight into the problem and why it's so hard to solve. It's also beneficial to consider any underlying issues that may be preventing the customer from achieving their desired outcome. Ask questions to gain as much insight as possible into the customer's needs. For example, if you are creating a product to help customers manage their time more efficiently, you could ask questions about their current methods, what challenges they face, and what they need most from a time-management product. With this information, you can then start to think of possible solutions or strategies to help them resolve their problem.

Look for existing solutions: See if there are any existing workarounds for the problem you're trying to solve. This could indicate that the problem is harder to solve than it seems. For example, i looked into creating an app for music discovery and found out that there are lots of solutions for users without needing a dedicated app. On Reddit, I saw a bunch of sites that give music recommendations, and some even suggested listening to the radio more. I noticed that streaming platforms have their own music discovery tools and they work well, but many people still search for other options. This made me realize that none of the solutions can really satisfy users since they often want to explore different sources.

Assessing the complexity of the problem is critical to understanding if there are any technical, regulatory, or business-related barriers that could prevent a successful solution. For instance, it is often the case that a startup entering into a new market may find itself dealing with a range of regulatory or financial difficulties that cannot be easily overcome.One well-known issue is privacy. For example, Withings' Uscan could be a great idea, but it could face several political and social barriers related to privacy and the information it could reveal, especially for women.

This is not to say that all tarpit ideas are impossible to solve, but it is important to be realistic about the difficulty of the problem. Startups founders should take the time to assess the market and determine whether the problem they are trying to solve is a true tarpit idea.

In conclusion, by looking for existing solutions, startups can make informed decisions about which problems are worth solving and which are likely to be tarpit ideas. This can help to avoid wasting time and resources on challenges that may be too difficult to overcome. By taking a thoughtful and data-driven approach to problem-solving, startups can increase their chances of success and make a meaningful impact on the market.