As CEO of Product Hunt, I see hundreds of launches a week. One trait separates winners from losers.

Every few months, new models come out. Some products become better, effortlessly. Some don't improve, or become irrelevant.

This property needs a name. I'm calling it Buoyancy.

Buoyant startups rise with model improvements the way a boat rises with the tide.

Anti-buoyant startups come in two flavors: over-scaffolded (which hinders the new, smarter models) and too thin - which makes them redundant when models improve.

To be buoyant, you need a "hull" - usually proprietary data, a vertical-specific harness, network effects, or distribution advantage. This hull keeps you buoyant as models improve.

Hulls are the new moats.

My number one advice to startups in 2026: Be buoyant. Find your hull.

(Full essay on my blog)