The AI wave is reshaping not only technology but also the economics of startups. In a recent conversation, investor Mike Maples emphasized that the winners won’t just be those who build better models—they’ll be those who rethink strategy itself. For startups, survival means finding an unfair advantage and using it to compete against incumbents on terrain where the giants cannot easily follow.

One of the key insights is that business model innovation matters as much as product innovation. While most incumbents are locked into subscription-based SaaS, startups can explore outcome-based pricing, tailored services, or value-sharing models that align directly with customer success. These approaches may seem risky for large corporations but open opportunities for nimble teams willing to rethink “how the game is played.”

Maples also pointed out the power of counter-positioning: offering solutions incumbents are culturally or structurally unable to match. Just as Google’s ad-based model disoriented Microsoft in the 90s, today’s AI startups can find niches where OpenAI and other giants won’t compete effectively—whether due to risk aversion, scale constraints, or legacy incentives.

Perhaps most inspiring is the reminder that small, resourceful teams often out-innovate big spenders. Constraints, far from being a weakness, fuel creativity. History shows that the Wright brothers, tinkering in their workshop, achieved what experts and institutions dismissed as impossible. The same will be true for AI founders who dare to experiment where others hesitate.

In the end, the path forward isn’t just about building AI products—it’s about choosing strategies that reshape markets. For founders, the question is clear: where can you play differently enough that incumbents can’t copy you? The answer may determine the next generation of category-defining AI companies.