Part 2/9:
The genesis of Reddit traces back to 2006 when founders Alexis Ohanian and Steve Huffman sought to create something revolutionary during a time when the term "startup" was hardly commonplace. Instead of fulfilling the conventional outlook on entrepreneurship, they attended a lecture by Paul Graham, a pivotal figure in the startup ecosystem. Their first idea, "My Mobile Menu," focused on improving the convenience of gas station orders—a concept that lacked the innovative spark.
Following initial rejection from Y Combinator, a venture capital firm known for nurturing technology startups, Ohanian and Huffman were encouraged to pivot their idea. Through brainstorming sessions, the founders discovered the concept that would become Reddit, branding it as "The Front Page of the Internet."