Ask HN: Bigger startup is stealing my features, what do i do?
I run a bootstrapped start-up by myself in a niche industry. I have built it over the past 5+ years and just recently it started to take off. Other startups have started to pop-up and have noticed me, but one in particular is copying my features.
Their cloned features aren't nearly as good, but my fear is that this is just the start.
I know how the game is played... companies steal other companies stuff all the time. Just look at the app stores. I also know the fact they are copying me means my idea is vindicated.
The problem is that I am just one person and this particular start-up has around 3 employees and a million dollars in funding. I don't make enough money to hire an employee full-time. So I am in an extremely tough spot.
So what do you guys suggest I do? Any advice?
I could be extremely aggressive about this and pose as a user of theirs and write negative reviews online. The hope would be to nab popular "review" keywords in Google so their users find them and stay clear. Though I am not sure if that's worth my time when I could use it improving my product.
Their cloned features aren't nearly as good, but my fear is that this is just the start.
I know how the game is played... companies steal other companies stuff all the time. Just look at the app stores. I also know the fact they are copying me means my idea is vindicated.
The problem is that I am just one person and this particular start-up has around 3 employees and a million dollars in funding. I don't make enough money to hire an employee full-time. So I am in an extremely tough spot.
So what do you guys suggest I do? Any advice?
I could be extremely aggressive about this and pose as a user of theirs and write negative reviews online. The hope would be to nab popular "review" keywords in Google so their users find them and stay clear. Though I am not sure if that's worth my time when I could use it improving my product.