How one founder’s bet on ‘the old school web’ is paying off

Craig Campbell had VCs offering blank checks to start an AI company. He said no and built a website about old maps instead.

Campbell is a former Meta engineer who sold his previous startup, an e-commerce tool for Shopify businesses, in 2022 right as AI funding was exploding. His investors wanted him to ride the wave. He went the opposite direction.

He launched Past Maps, a straightforward website business in an era when everyone assumes Google's AI overviews will kill traditional web traffic. The bet is paying off, though the source doesn't specify revenue or growth numbers.

This matters because it's a reminder that not every opportunity in tech requires chasing the hottest trend. While AI tools are genuinely useful for many businesses, the fundamentals of building something people want haven't changed.

The timing is interesting too. Campbell made this choice in 2022, when it felt like every founder was pivoting to AI or risk being left behind. Two years later, we're seeing more skepticism about AI's near-term business models.

For anyone building with AI tools, there's a lesson here about focus. The best application of new technology isn't always building the technology itself. Sometimes it's using it to build something more traditional, better.