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Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

bloomberg.com

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Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#11

Post by birken »

sushid wrote: post #6

"Sam Altman, president and co-founder of Y Combinator." Uhh, they clearly didn't do their homework if they thought Altman co-founded YC.

Having read basically every news article ever about the startup I was involved in, they get the most basic, easily checkable facts like: What year was it founded? What does the company do? Who is the CEO? wrong at least half of the time.

And they get the more complicated facts wrong much more often, but that is because they generally directly printing either what the founder tells them or something they think that is more interesting than what the founder tells them without any sort of verification.

Basically, almost all articles about startups (and frankly most things in general) are written to be interesting, not factually correct.

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#12

Post by hawkice »

Cyph0n wrote: post #5
kenferry wrote: post #4

"Iseman says his departure was purely about his desire to get back into the founder's role and build something new. He's already been accepted into the winter 2017 YC cohort with his new housing startup." Doesn't sound very acrimonious.

Isn't that the definition of a conflict of interest? Or am I reading this wrong?

An allegation that there is favoritism among the closed off society of YC elites? I'm astonished, astonished, I say!

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#13

Post by Mango_Diesel »

Cyph0n wrote: post #5
kenferry wrote: post #4

"Iseman says his departure was purely about his desire to get back into the founder's role and build something new. He's already been accepted into the winter 2017 YC cohort with his new housing startup." Doesn't sound very acrimonious.

Isn't that the definition of a conflict of interest? Or am I reading this wrong?

What is the conflict of interest?

Being a partner at YC is certainly a unique qualifier that would basically guarantee acceptance. There is nothing wrong with that. It is awesome, in fact.

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#15

Post by samstave »

WRT goPro...

(I do not know if they already do this);

Should it not be a sound idea to work with companies that make the THINGS that your users would be on to bundle a device with the things...

Rosignol branded gopro when you buy a pair of skis

[SkateBoard] branded gopro bundle, or a tony hawk edition

Water-proof versions bundled with every [insert water product]

Specialized/Brooks branded versions...

Try to get the companies already selling the transport mechanisms the users of go-pro would be using to boost sales. Lower margins, higher(???) volume?

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#17

Post by samstave »

Cyph0n wrote: post #5
kenferry wrote: post #4

"Iseman says his departure was purely about his desire to get back into the founder's role and build something new. He's already been accepted into the winter 2017 YC cohort with his new housing startup." Doesn't sound very acrimonious.

Isn't that the definition of a conflict of interest? Or am I reading this wrong?

Well, at this level, no not really...

However, you could make a stretch connection between this and Dick Cheney if you were trying:

1. take a job that allows you to setup infra and policy for a certain type of relationship

2. foster the field for companies to take advantage of said infra and policies

3. leave to work at company to benefit from said setup...

I doubt thats what is going on here - but it has precedence in politics quite often.

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#18

Post by samstave »

wheelerwj wrote: post #10
rezashirazian wrote: post #8

Still, hardware is, well, hard. Silicon Valley has produced a raft of world-changing software startups, from Airbnb (a YC veteran) to Facebook. But it's a whole lot easier to beta-test an app than to prototype and then manufacture a gadget with a bunch of moving parts. Then you have to market the thing to the masses, who are already enamored of their Apple and Samsung products. Exhibits A and B: Fitbit, the fitness t…

But just to be clear, hardware IS hard.

Aside:

Shoot - this wants me to make a "front fell off" joke... but HN hates jokes.

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#19

Post by Cyph0n »

Mango_Diesel wrote: post #13
Cyph0n wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that the definition of a conflict of interest? Or am I reading this wrong?

What is the conflict of interest? Being a partner at YC is certainly a unique qualifier that would basically guarantee acceptance. There is nothing wrong with that. It is awesome, in fact.

Well, it could also mean that someone else who isn't a YC partner was rejected to let him in. Of course, I don't know whether or not that is the case, but this is where a conflict of interest could potentially arise from.

Re: Y Combinator's Hardware Guy Leaves After 14 Months

#20

Post by ProAm »

Mango_Diesel wrote: post #13
Cyph0n wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that the definition of a conflict of interest? Or am I reading this wrong?

What is the conflict of interest? Being a partner at YC is certainly a unique qualifier that would basically guarantee acceptance. There is nothing wrong with that. It is awesome, in fact.

Being a partner do you really need the startup 'help'? Don't you already have all the connections you need?
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