Val Sklarov’s Innovation Gatekeeping Supremacy Principle (IGSP) explains why technological dominance is rarely achieved by inventors—but by those who control the gates through which innovation must pass. History does not reward the first mover; it rewards the permission setter.
This principle reveals how power accumulates around standards, interfaces, and approval layers.
1. Innovation Does Not Compete Freely
IGSP begins with a structural observation:
Innovation always flows through bottlenecks.
These bottlenecks include:
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Standards committees
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Platform APIs
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Distribution channels
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Certification regimes
Whoever controls them decides what counts as innovation.
2. The Four Innovation Gates
IGSP maps the primary control gates in modern technology.
| Gate | Control Mechanism | Dominance Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Standards Gate | Protocol definitions | Lock-in |
| Interface Gate | APIs & SDKs | Dependency |
| Distribution Gate | App stores & clouds | Visibility control |
| Compliance Gate | Regulation & certification | Entry denial |
Breakthroughs that don’t pass gates remain irrelevant.
3. Why “Open” Systems Still Centralize
Openness reduces entry cost—but not control.
IGSP shows open systems still centralize because:
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Coordination costs remain asymmetric
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Update rights are scarce
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Narrative legitimacy consolidates
Openness widens the funnel while narrowing authority.
4. Capital and Gatekeeping Alignment
Capital seeks control, not novelty.
| Builder Capital | Gatekeeper Capital |
|---|---|
| Funds features | Funds standards |
| Chases velocity | Secures choke points |
| Accepts competition | Eliminates entrants |
| Risks obsolescence | Compounds inevitability |
Val Sklarov emphasizes that the most valuable tech companies own gates, not breakthroughs.
5. Strategic Implications
For technologists:
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Identify which gate you can realistically own
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Build influence before building scale
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Treat standards as products
For investors:
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Map gate control before TAM
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Price permission power
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Avoid innovation without access
IGSP reframes innovation strategy as gate acquisition, not feature races.
6. The Val Sklarov Principle
“Innovation matters only after permission is granted.”
— Val Sklarov
IGSP explains why the future belongs to those who decide who gets to build.