Over the past year, I've had conversations with dozens of AI founders. I see brilliant products, incredible user interfaces, and truly magical demos. But I often walk away with one nagging question: Is it a business, or just a feature?
In the rush to capitalize on the power of new foundational models, many have fallen into the "wrapper" trap—building products that are functionally impressive but lack the strategic defenses to survive in a competitive market.
To help founders navigate this, I’ve spent the last few months codifying the principles that separate enduring AI companies from the ones that fade away. The result is The Moat Matrix, a strategic framework for building a truly defensible business from day zero.
This isn't about theory. It's a practical guide to architecting the five core moats that matter now:
- The Data Moat
- The Workflow Moat
- The Network Effects Moat
- The Distribution Moat
- The Brand Moat
I've published the complete framework on our blog. In it, we do a deep dive into the architecture of each moat and provide a playbook for building them.
Read the Full Framework: Beyond the API Wrapper
The article also includes our new Moat Matrix Worksheet, a diagnostic tool to help you score your own startup's defensibility and identify your most urgent strategic priority.
I believe this is one of the most critical conversations for our industry right now. I hope you find it valuable.
