Are “Borrowed” Ideas The Next Billion-Dollar Brands?

Hey,

This week, some comments on one of my recent posts caught my attention. In this video, a founder has 60 sec to pitch her app, a surplus food marketplace in Dubai. 

While many have rallied behind her and the business, she also faced some criticism for being “just a dupe” of an existing app, Too Good To Go (US).

Negative comments can sting, but they also open the door to valuable lessons. Let’s unpack why building on proven ideas can be a powerful strategy for entrepreneurs and how these situations can work to your advantage:

1. Proven Ideas = Validated Market

A proven idea shows that there’s demand in the market. You don’t need to spend time convincing people why your idea matters, they already get it. Instead, you can focus on improving it, tweaking it for a specific audience, or solving pain points the original missed.

Facebook wasn’t the first social network, Google wasn’t the first search engine, Uber wasn’t the first taxi app, and Canva wasn’t the first design tool. 

2. Emerging Markets Are Untapped Goldmines

The “Too Good To Go” of one region may not exist in another. Taking a proven idea and adapting it to an underserved market can lead to incredible success. For example, startups in emerging markets often address local challenges, different consumer behaviors, infrastructure gaps, or regional trends, making them hyper-relevant.

Don’t underestimate the power of localisation. Success doesn’t always mean breaking into saturated markets; it can mean dominating where no one else is looking.

A prime example of this is Rocket Internet, a company that mastered the “copy and paste” business model. Their approach? Spot a startup thriving in the U.S. or Europe, then replicate it in underserved or emerging markets. They launched businesses like Lazada (a Southeast Asian version of Amazon), Jumia (the African e-com giant), and Foodpanda (a food delivery platform). 

They didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, they just rolled it into new regions where the demand was high, but the competition was low.

3. Execution Beats Ideation Any Day Of The Week

It’s not just about the idea; it’s about how you bring it to life. Two people can have the same concept, but the one who delivers better customer service, creates a smoother app, or markets smarter will win.

Great execution is the ultimate differentiator. So, if your pitch gets labeled a “dupe,” focus on making your version the best it can possibly be.

4. Iteration Leads To Innovation

Sometimes, starting with an existing idea is the first step toward uncovering something truly unique. Iterating and experimenting will often lead you to unexpected innovations that evolve the concept. 

Many tech giants began as “copies” before they branched into original territory.

Instagram began as a simple photo-sharing app. Nothing disruptive at the time, there were plenty of photo apps around. But over time, they added features that made them what they are today.

Slack wasn’t born as a groundbreaking idea. It started as an internal communication tool for a gaming company that struggled to keep team communication clear. When the gaming project flopped, the founders realised that the communication tool itself was the real goldmine. At its core, Slack wasn’t the first workplace messaging platform, email, Skype, and other tools already existed.

5. Building To Exit

Careem (Middle East) and Grab (South East Asia) are perfect examples of how adapting an idea to a local market can lead to a massive payday.

Both started as regional versions of Uber, but instead of being overshadowed, they dominated their markets by focusing on local needs. Careem offered cash payments, a culturally sensitive service, and delivery options in the Middle East, while Grab tackled Southeast Asia’s traffic issues with bike taxis and safety features.

So rather than compete, when Uber was expanding, they decided to acquire Careem for $3.1 billion in 2019 and sold their  Southeast Asian operations to Grab for a 27.5% stake in the company. 

Why? Because building a strong local presence is hard, and buying out the competition is often smarter.

The Playbook for Founders

If you want to build to exit, focus on these:

1. Be the local expert in your niche.

2. Solve unique regional problems.

3. Offer something global competitors can’t replicate.

Yes, there’s a bigger discussion on how emerging markets startups tend to copy paste. I believe we too can innovate and export our ideas and businesses to the West. I’m also a huge advocate for reversing the “aspiration flow”. I built a whole business on both beliefs. 

But people tend to overcomplicate entrepreneurship and business opportunities. 

Some of us think that to make it, you have to create something as disruptive as the iPhone. 

Well, very few of us are or can be Steve Jobs. Some of the best cash-flowing businesses are just plain old existing solutions, repackaged for a different group of people.

I often see founders chasing massive, complex innovations, but the real opportunity is often as simple as “X, but for Y audience.”

What’s your take? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Chaymae