89 Best Startup Essays by Top VCs and Founders (Paul Graham, Naval, Altman, Khosla & More)

Build smarter with timeless advice from the world’s best startup minds. This curated guide features 89 essays by Paul Graham, Sam Altman, Naval Ravikant, Vinod Khosla, and more—covering idea validatio

This curated collection brings together 89 of the most insightful essays written by iconic startup founders and top venture capitalists—including Paul Graham, Sam Altman, Naval Ravikant, Jessica Livingston, and more.

Each piece offers a masterclass in building, funding, and scaling companies—from the early ideation stage to exit (or failure). Whether you're validating an idea, navigating investor talks, or growing your team, these essays will give you the mental models, frameworks, and real-world lessons that only experience can teach.

To make it actionable, the essays are organized across five key categories:

1. Startup Ideation and Execution

2. Fundraising and Investor Relations

3. Scaling and Growth

4. Team and Culture

5. Failure and Lessons Learned

Inside, you'll find timeless wisdom from the people behind Y Combinator, AngelList, PayPal, LinkedIn, Airbnb, and Andreessen Horowitz—the same leaders who’ve shaped the modern startup ecosystem.

Whether you're a first-time founder or a repeat entrepreneur, this collection is designed to sharpen your thinking, spark new ideas, and help you avoid costly mistakes.

Find the Essays below 👇

🧠 Go deeper: Premium members get the 89 essays, exclusive takeaways, all resources, and access to the full archive.