The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page won’t make a search engine. If you are copying these guys, you aren’t learning from them.”
“All failed companies are the same: they failed to escape competition.”
“If you want to create and capture lasting value, don’t build an undifferentiated commodity business.”
Zero to One – Peter Thiel
A bold look at building breakthrough companies, arguing that real innovation means doing what no one else is doing. Strongly emphasizes founder vision and contrarian thinking — key traits Origo looks for.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz
Brutally honest lessons from one of the most experienced startup operators turned VCs. It dives into what it really takes to lead through chaos — perfect for early-stage founders facing uncertainty.
“Every time you make the hard, correct decision, you become a bit more courageous, and every time you make the easy, wrong decision, you become a bit more cowardly."
“By far the most difficult skill I learned as a CEO was the ability to manage my own psychology.”
“Great CEOs face the pain. They deal with the sleepless nights, the cold sweats. They don't delegate the hard things.”
“The best deals are win-win. If one side feels screwed, it will blow up later.”
“Valuation is just one term. Control is another.”
“Anti-dilution protection is about fear. The fear that a company’s value will go down.”
Venture Deals – Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson
The clearest breakdown of how term sheets, equity, and VC mechanics work. A must-read for founders raising capital — and a reference manual you’ll return to often.
The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
Introduces validated learning, fast iteration, and pivot discipline. Still the go-to manual for building a product before burning through capital — especially relevant for Origo’s pre-revenue, MVP-stage focus.
“The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.”
“Startup success can be engineered by following the right process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”
“Success is not delivering a feature; success is learning how to solve the customer’s problem.”
“Founders with unique insights into their markets were far more likely to succeed.”
“Breakout startups often don't look impressive at the beginning.”
“There is no single path to building a billion-dollar startup.”
Super Founders – Ali Tamaseb
A data-driven take on what differentiates billion-dollar startups from the rest. Cuts through myths (e.g., “you need to be a dropout”) and gives founders an honest look at what patterns matter and what don’t.
The Cold Start Problem – Andrew Chen
Ideal for marketplace, social, and network-based startups. Offers a modern framework for how to ignite and scale network effects — something most early-stage teams underestimate or misunderstand.
“The key to virality is repeatable triggers inside the product.”
“Every new user should make the product better for the next.”
“Networks are hard to start, but impossible to stop.”