How to tell if a startup has a moat

Founder takeaway

Don’t mistake early traction for durability. Assess whether your startup has an advantage that competitors cannot easily copy and that becomes stronger as the company grows.

Why it matters

A credible moat shapes where you invest scarce resources, improves your ability to attract talent, and increases the odds that today’s growth can become lasting enterprise value.

Relevant guides

Put it to work

Ask: “What gets harder for competitors to replicate each time we add a customer, improve the product, or expand—and what evidence shows that advantage is compounding?”