Zero to One by Peter Thiel [Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future]

The great secret of our time is that uncharted frontiers still exist, waiting to be explored, and new inventions are there for the taking. In Zero to One, renowned entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel reveals how we can create these singular innovations.

Thiel starts with a bold assertion: we are in an era of technological stagnation, despite the constant buzz of new gadgets and mobile devices. While information technology has seen rapid growth, there’s no reason why progress should be confined to computers or Silicon Valley. True innovation can happen across all industries and sectors. The key to unlocking this potential is a skill every leader must develop: learning to think independently.

Building on what already exists takes the world from 1 to n—incrementally adding more of something familiar. But creating something entirely new takes us from 0 to 1. The next Bill Gates won’t build an operating system, and the next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t create a search engine. Tomorrow’s visionaries won’t win by competing in today’s crowded market—they’ll escape competition by building something completely unique.

Zero to One offers a hopeful view of the future and a revolutionary approach to innovation. The path forward begins with the ability to ask the right questions, leading to unexpected value in surprising places.