Article · ~12 min read
What Is a Moat? The Startup Guide to Building Competitive Advantage
CRV Free Intermediate
A clear primer on the types of moats so you can honestly assess how defensible your edge is, which is the final weigh-in your question demands. It covers distribution, data, switching costs, and network effects in plain language. Use it to decide whether your advantage is copyable enough that discretion matters, or durable enough that openness is safe.
- Moats come in distinct types, most of them unrelated to your source code
- Early startups need a credible path to a moat, not a finished fortress
- Assess your real defensibility before deciding how open to be
