def get_paths(self, user_ids=None, startup_ids=None, direction=None):
    """
    user_ids: paths between you and these users
    startup_ids: paths between you and these startups
    direction: 'following' or 'followed'
    """
    if user_ids is None and startup_ids is None and direction is None:
      raise Exception('At least one input argument should be different than None')
    if isinstance(user_ids, list):
      user_ids = ','.join(list(map(lambda k: str(k), user_ids)))
    if isinstance(startup_ids, list):
      startup_ids = ','.join(list(map(lambda k: str(k), startup_ids)))

    paths_url = _PATHS.format(c_api=_C_API_BEGINNING,
                                      api=_API_VERSION,
                                      at=self.access_token)
    if not user_ids is None:
      paths_url += '&' + _USER_IDS_SUFFIX.format(user_ids=user_ids)
    if not startup_ids is None:
      paths_url += '&' + _STARTUP_IDS_SUFFIX.format(
                                                    startup_ids=startup_ids)
    if not direction is None:
      paths_url += '&' + _DIRECTION_SUFFIX.format(direction=direction)
    return _get_request(paths_url)