My startup project got cloned by someone else

Unless you have the money and the inclination to litigate, there's not much you can do. He's not going to go away if you ask nicely, so ignoring is the better option.

As I'm sure you're aware, the overwhelming majority of startup projects fail. This works in your advantage. If you keep at it and keep improving your product and marketing then the copycat is going to give up and do something else.

We all get cloned sooner or later. So just take it as validation that your idea may have potential. You can't get complacent, though. If the clone delivers a better product, better service, or is otherwise superior you'll still lose. So do the absolute best work you possibly can.

Let's say it's a neck a neck race, he copies everything you do to a tee in the next year..

You go out and get funding and then the scenario changes.

You then have the advantage.

It's called competition......It's everywhere.

Great Question and an even better Answer. Thanks to you both! x

My friend - don't trust anyone anymore, and, in tandem don't become cynical. If that *ucker cloned your site, then you have your creativity in you ad infinitum.

Most people who copy/steal other people's ideas - don't have another one.

Now, I want to help you. How can you make your idea better?

Everyone gets knocked around once or twice. Just be smarter the next time.

I too, have had ideas stolen and have been hurt - but, then, I got better.

All the best, my friend.

Should we continue with----- how worthless nda's are ?

Speed. Iterate and change faster than he can copy. Most importantly speak to your customers/users . A LOT.

Remember copy cat doesnt have your users.

Did you borrow your idea from someone else ?

Startups are hard. If the concept is a passion, you already know the answer. If not, maybe this is a sign to go another way.

Startups are rarely about ideas - they're about execution.

Even if your web site gets copied, that's only a small part of the equation. How are you getting users? How are you growing revenues? User mind share?

If all you have is a nice domain name and a pretty web site, you're not going to last long anyway.

Out-execute.

Once you learn business is a violent "game" the better off you'll be .

If this originated from you and your passionate about it, then no other copycat can clone that. Make it better, be one step ahead of the game, ignore the noise and focus on creating value. Only the #2's compare themselves to the rest of the competition. Ever see Coke do a comparison commercial against Pepsi?

(Maybe I'm dating myself here...)