[smart_jackal]

Why bother investing and prying when you can simply buy those companies off once they become large enough?

[fredley]

Cheaper to make a small investment, take everything you want and let the company fail. Simple economics.

[smart_jackal]

That's true but on the other side, ideas are sold dime a dozen, only their successful implementation proves in hindsight that the idea was worth something. Stealing ideas doesn't mean much as they are available aplenty but a startup which successfully implemented that idea is worth something.