--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One phrase we use at Stripe is, 'Most…" description: "\"One phrase we use at Stripe is, 'Most tech companies are building cars. Stripe is building roads.'\" — Patrick Collison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/patrick-collison-16144_building_one-phrase-we-use-at-stripe-is-most-tech_2259013.jpg" --- # One phrase we use at Stripe is, 'Most tech companies are… ![“One phrase we use at Stripe is, 'Most tech companies are building cars. Stripe is building roads.'” quote by Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/patrick-collison-16144_building_one-phrase-we-use-at-stripe-is-most-tech_2259013.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/patrick-collison-16144_building_one-phrase-we-use-at-stripe-is-most-tech_2259013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/patrick-collison-16144_building_one-phrase-we-use-at-stripe-is-most-tech_2259013.jpg) > “One phrase we use at Stripe is, 'Most tech companies are building cars. Stripe is building roads.'” [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stripe focuses on foundational infrastructure, unlike others building end products. **In simple terms:** Stripe builds the platform, not the product. Key Takeaway Invest in underlying systems for lasting impact. Themes innovation infrastructure strategy Mood analytical strategic Type business technological When to use this quote - startup planning - product development - investment decisions - industry analysis Key Concepts business models platform economics tech ecosystems Questions to Reflect On - What infrastructure gaps exist in your industry? - How does building roads differ from building cars? A Different Perspective Risk of overemphasizing infrastructure at expense of user experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Cars Stripe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cars-stripe-5190736/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Roads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roads/) [Stripe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stripe/) [Stripe Tech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stripe-tech-5190737/) [Tech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tech/) [Tech Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tech-companies/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Stripe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-stripe-5190738/) ## Related quotes > [My products and magic are free, but on the commercial side of what I do, the big tech companies are impressed with somebody like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-tempest/my-products-and-magic-are-free-but-on-the-commercial-side-of-what-i/) [Marco Tempest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-tempest/) > [When my company was first getting off the ground, we were completely lost in the shuffle, despite our best efforts. 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But by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/tech-companies-have-a-finite-lifespan-for-the-successful-ones-an-ipo/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [Few industries have the ability to transform society like tech, yet too few companies are asking the questions or working on the problems that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/few-industries-have-the-ability-to-transform-society-like-tech-yet/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [We're creating this new breed of techies who are going to be the ones starting the tech companies of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/we-re-creating-this-new-breed-of-techies-who-are-going-to-be-the-ones/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [We will hear more regrets from founders of tech companies about the addictive technologies they have launched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-vardi/we-will-hear-more-regrets-from-founders-of-tech-companies-about-the/) [Moshe Vardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-vardi/) > [In the last years of the nineteen-eighties, I worked not at startups but at what might be called finish-downs. Tech companies that were dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/in-the-last-years-of-the-nineteen-eighties-i-worked-not-at-startups/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [What I learned with tech companies is I gotta give people room to experiment, and also to make what might later on be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-lee/what-i-learned-with-tech-companies-is-i-gotta-give-people-room-to/) [Ed Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-lee/) > [Tech companies don't exist in a bubble; they draw from and feed into a larger community. Ideally, the relationship is symbiotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/tech-companies-don-t-exist-in-a-bubble-they-draw-from-and-feed-into-a/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [For far too long, tech companies have been getting away with shielding themselves with protections under Section 230.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santos/for-far-too-long-tech-companies-have-been-getting-away-with-shielding/) [George Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santos/) > [I started Stripe with my brother John Collison while we were in school together. We first started off building iPhone apps together and using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/i-started-stripe-with-my-brother-john-collison-while-we-were-in/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [We don't always endorse what businesses sell through Stripe, but we do think it's critical that we and our peers don't act as gatekeepers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/we-don-t-always-endorse-what-businesses-sell-through-stripe-but-we-do/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [I think that Stripe generally is comprised of the kind of people who believe in technology or are kind of optimistic about its effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/i-think-that-stripe-generally-is-comprised-of-the-kind-of-people-who/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) ## More by Patrick Collison > [Silicon Valley does not breed great technology. Instead, the smartest people from around the world tend to move to Silicon Valley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/silicon-valley-does-not-breed-great-technology-instead-the-smartest/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [At most large companies, what is locally optimal for you is very frequently not what is globally optimal for the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/at-most-large-companies-what-is-locally-optimal-for-you-is-very/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [I think in general technology always sort of makes some jobs less relevant, or perhaps, even obsolete, but I will say that the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/i-think-in-general-technology-always-sort-of-makes-some-jobs-less/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [I think that Stripe generally is comprised of the kind of people who believe in technology or are kind of optimistic about its effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/i-think-that-stripe-generally-is-comprised-of-the-kind-of-people-who/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [We don't always endorse what businesses sell through Stripe, but we do think it's critical that we and our peers don't act as gatekeepers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/we-don-t-always-endorse-what-businesses-sell-through-stripe-but-we-do/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [I started Stripe with my brother John Collison while we were in school together. We first started off building iPhone apps together and using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/i-started-stripe-with-my-brother-john-collison-while-we-were-in/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [Being a public company certainly doesn't stop you from taking a really long-term time horizon, but it does make it more difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/being-a-public-company-certainly-doesn-t-stop-you-from-taking-a/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [What interests us in Stripe is the idea that there could much more commerce happening on the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/what-interests-us-in-stripe-is-the-idea-that-there-could-much-more/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [Our goal definitely isn't to sell Stripe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/our-goal-definitely-isn-t-to-sell-stripe/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > ['Entrepreneur' is a long, fancy French word, but it didn't seem like something you aspire to. It seemed normal, because whatever your parents do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/entrepreneur-is-a-long-fancy-french-word-but-it-didn-t-seem-like/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [If you want to hire the best people, the best people are already doing pretty impressive things. They have their life plans, their picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/if-you-want-to-hire-the-best-people-the-best-people-are-already-doing/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [It's very possible that advertising business models will simply never do as well on mobile devices as those oriented around transactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/it-s-very-possible-that-advertising-business-models-will-simply-never/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [It's not that I don't enjoy TV. If I had infinite time, I would watch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/it-s-not-that-i-don-t-enjoy-tv-if-i-had-infinite-time-i-would-watch-it/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [When you talk to people who are old, some wish they had enjoyed themselves more, but not many wish they had wasted more time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/when-you-talk-to-people-who-are-old-some-wish-they-had-enjoyed/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [I watch virtually no TV. All my screen time is computer time for me. When I'm not doing that I'm reading or talking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/i-watch-virtually-no-tv-all-my-screen-time-is-computer-time-for-me/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) [Explore all 40 Patrick Collison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) [Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One phrase we use at Stripe is, 'Most tech companies are building cars. 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