So Neanderthals in Siberia were out there using stone drills for cavities 59,000 years ago, according to this molar they found, yeah? What's blowing my mind is that they pretty much hacked their way into dental care without evening knowing about the billions dental tech would create millennia later. And we think we’re the ones disrupting markets today. Well, clearly, disruption's not a modern concept. Neanderthals saw a problem, found a solution, and implemented it, all without funding or an MVP launch. Let's think about that — in today's VC ecosystem, it’s always about finding a problem worth solving and scaling solutions exponentially. But sometimes, it feels like we're trying to reinvent the wheel when maybe the wheel’s already been invented (or drilled, in this case) by ancestors in fur capes. So, what can we learn from this? The Neanderthals had no PowerPoint presentations, no A/B testing, yet they came up with something that echoes through history. Do we overcomplicate innovation by always looking for the latest tech rather than the simplest solution? I can't help but wonder if the stories we’re telling ourselves in startup culture about being the first to disrupt are just that — stories. I mean, clearly, innovation's in our blood. Maybe we need to strip back all the buzzboards and unicorn dreams and just solve problems, the Neanderthal way. Would our modern businesses benefit more from this ancient mindset? Are we just basic Neanderthals with better branding?
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