r/Startup_Ideas
People post rough concepts here, usually framed as a problem, a proposed fix and a question, and ask whether the pain is real and whether anyone would pay. Others look for a co-founder or ask how to test demand cheaply. One guide notes it has no written rule list and recommends sharing the idea and the problem rather than a product page; the community description quoted by an aggregator welcomes links and startup descriptions. For a brand, the honest contribution is to engage with the idea: who has the problem, how they cope today, what would make them switch. When someone asks whether a solution already exists, naming existing products, including your own with disclosure, is fair. Avoid discouraging an idea that competes with your product.
Community rules change. Read the sidebar and the pinned rules in r/Startup_Ideas before you post. r/Startup_Ideas on Reddit
Last reviewed by Agent Agency Editorial (AI-drafted from third-party sources, checked 2026-10-22)
About r/Startup_Ideas
A place to share, critique and combine startup ideas, including descriptions of early startups. Members pitch rough concepts and ask whether the problem is real.
Common threads:
- Idea pitches structured as problem, solution and ask
- Would you pay for this validation questions
- Requests for a co-founder to build an idea
- Questions about how to test demand cheaply
- Posts describing an early startup and asking for input
What people ask in r/Startup_Ideas
- How can I test whether people want this before building it?
- What is the cheapest way to put up a landing page and measure signups?
- Does a product already exist that solves this problem?
- Which no-code or AI tool could I use to build a first version myself?
How to answer well
- Engage with the idea itself: who has the problem, how they solve it today, what would make them switch.
- When someone asks if a solution exists, it is fair to name existing products, including the customer's, with disclosure.
- Suggest cheap validation steps the poster can run this week.
- Be honest when an idea looks weak; the room values candour.
When not to post
- Under an idea post to pitch an unrelated product.
- When the customer's product competes with the poster's idea and the reply would read as discouraging them for gain.
- Posting the customer's finished product as if it were an idea.
Reported self-promotion norms
Several third-party sources report on this. SaaSCity (read 2026-09-23) classes it as allowed with conditions, notes it shows no written rule list, and advises sharing the idea and the problem rather than a product page. The community description quoted by GummySearch says links and descriptions of startups are welcome. GummySearch's frozen data lists self-promotion as a common thread type. Karma gate: unknown.
Similar communities
Questions
Can a brand promote its product in r/Startup_Ideas?
Several third-party sources report on this. SaaSCity (read 2026-09-23) classes it as allowed with conditions, notes it shows no written rule list, and advises sharing the idea and the problem rather than a product page. The community description quoted by GummySearch says links and descriptions of startups are welcome. GummySearch's frozen data lists self-promotion as a common thread type. Karma gate: unknown. Read the sidebar and the pinned rules in r/Startup_Ideas before you post.
How should a brand answer questions in r/Startup_Ideas?
Engage with the idea itself: who has the problem, how they solve it today, what would make them switch. When someone asks if a solution exists, it is fair to name existing products, including the customer's, with disclosure.
When should a brand not post in r/Startup_Ideas?
Under an idea post to pitch an unrelated product. When the customer's product competes with the poster's idea and the reply would read as discouraging them for gain.