How Imitation Creates Innovation

The Copycat Strategy

Why copying feels wrong 

The Stigma

Burst

"Innov   ate"

Burst

"Disrupt"

Startups celebrate originality

Startups celebrate originality

Burst

"First   Mover"

Copying?

Copying?

Seen as lazy.

Unethical.

Uninspired.

But

But

But

Look

Closer

clever replicas.

Most breakthroughs started as

Squiggly Line

History's hidden playbook

The Pattern

Slack took cue from

Added:

Search history.

Simple onboarding.

IRC chat.

Notion drew from

Added:

Flexibility.

Visual databases.

Wikis + docs.

Zoom iterated upon

Added:

Frictionless entry.

Reliable connection.

Skype's gaps.

Xiaomi mirrored

Added:

Affordability.

Mass-accessibility.

Apple's Experience.

Not theft.

Adaptation.

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How copying creates value

The Mechanics

Demand already validated  ✔

Risk lowered  ✔

Step one:

Find proven model

01

What annoys users?

Where's delay?

What's missing?

Step two:

02

Find friction point.

Better UX.

Simpler pricing.

Different segment.

Step three:

03

Add your twist.

Innovation isn't always

inventing from void.

Sometimes it is

improving what works.

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What do we learn?

The Takeaway

Fear making

We Learn That

a bad copy.

Originality is overrated.

Inspiration, underrated.

Do not fear copying.

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