If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator • Hacker News Board

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#91

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:20 AM UTC

mncolinlee wrote: post #83

mncolinlee wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My cofounder and I both have mortgages and good jobs. We will be making a daring life change, but my co-founder has family commitments which prevent him from leaving town for months. Should I apply to attend alone or really scour my list of talented acquaintances? How often do you take teams with only one member on-site?

To be clear, I'm referring to leaving the corporate environment and possibly even selling a house. I can fully control my own life situation, but I can't ask my co-founder to travel out West when his wife won't allow him to move away from the family for three months.

You can leave one of the two of you at home if you have to. Your startup will be a lot better off if he can come out to stay for chunks of time though.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#92

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:22 AM UTC

ssp wrote: post #42

Joel Spolsky recently said[1] that if your whole attitude is "this thing can make me rich" as opposed to "this thing needs to exist", then maybe you don't have the passion required to run a startup. Is that something you select for (or against)? [1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2298470

No. We started our own startup to get rich.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#93

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:24 AM UTC

kerben wrote: post #73

Shortly after submitting our application, my co-founder (technical half) informed me he could no longer devote the time necessary to the startup for various personal reasons. This caught me completely off guard and I was pretty bummed. Determined not to let this phase me, I called another friend the next day who had been really interested in the idea and asked him if he would want to be my co-founder. He agreed and n…

Just edit and resubmit.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#94

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:25 AM UTC

bowmande wrote: post #62

Are there any YC companies that aren't based on the West Coast?

Yes, they're all over. There's one in Germany.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#95

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:26 AM UTC

bdesimone wrote: post #70

If you choose not to fund us, not that I'm a pessimist, will you provide any feedback?

If you make it to interviews and we don't fund you, we do.

We don't if we don't invite you to interviews. This explains why: http://ycombinator.com/whynot.html

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#96

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:29 AM UTC

moblivu wrote: post #74

Thanks for the reference, like "How to start a startup" it's always good to have more information! If one of the founders is under aged, is there any kind of additional step to take?

Depends how underaged. There's one founder in this batch who's 17. We're ok with it as long as the founder's parents are. I don't think we'd accept anyone much younger than that.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#97

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:31 AM UTC

mbrightman wrote: post #45

Are you 100% focused on tech startups, or will you look at a good idea even if it's not in the software/tech realm?

We'll consider anything, but most startups tend to involve technology.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#98

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:32 AM UTC

ffumarola wrote: post #58

Do you check the demo URL for all of the companies you offer interviews to? "We look at online demos only for the most promising applications, so don't skimp on the application because you're relying on a good demo." That leads me to believe so, but thought I'd ask!

I think so.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#99

Post by pg » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 6:34 AM UTC

Jsarokin wrote: post #84

Another single founder question. What if the startup (single founder) is already passed the building stage and is now looking to scale. Would it make more sense to start hiring a team instead of finding a co-founder? In this specific scenario (obviously an exception), would the single founder issue still be that much of a problem, or is it diluted down now that they company is established somewhat.

It's unlikely you have passed the building stage. They're still working on Google.

Re: If you're applying this cycle: How to Apply to Y Combinator

#100

Post by pinko » Fri, Mar 11, 2011, 7:08 AM UTC

flipside wrote: post #64

If the cofounders have only known each other for about 1 month, what can we do to reassure YC we'll work well together? Would evidence of some random (yet to be done) side project help? Good chemistry in the video? Anecdotal evidence that we've built up trust and a good relationship? Good legal framework? We are still actively building a larger team of course but these things take time. This is the only part of the a…

If the cofounders have only known each other for about 1 month, how do you /know/ you'll work well together? You can't reassure someone of something that isn't yet clear...