11–20 of 43 posts
I would be interested to know with the odds already stacked against single founders, what the likelihood of a non-technical single founder getting accepted is. I can't imagine it is high. Has there ever been one in YC?
I would be interested to know with the odds already stacked against single founders, what the likelihood of a non-technical single founder getting accepted is. I can't imagine it is high. Has there ever been one in YC?
9 times out of 10 you've come up with this idea on the crapper, in the shower, or at the bar with your friends - spend more time thinking at a high level, who will use this (target market), how much money could i make (market size), and what will it need (design, development[mobile, web], advertising, sales team, support, infrastructure), and how long it will take. After running through these things, the result is not likely to be you deciding to apply to YC as a single founder. [see last paragraph of comment if you just can't find a co-founder, it happens]
People who are capable of executing as a single founder will do so, and people like pg can see this by looking at the individuals history, and talking with them about their new idea.
Single founders that fail are founders who are overly confident, execute badly, or are scared of 'big scary investors' and negative feedback (yea there are more, these are just examples). Folks like pg can see these things in people, and will deny your application, rightfully so.
If you have an idea, and you think that YOU as an individual are the perfect 'team' then apply to YC that way, if pg agrees you'll get in. I can't imagine it happens very often that people who are humble and grounded think to themselves "I don't need anyone else, I am a baus!", if you do, step back and rethink things.
If its a matter of you just not being able to find a co-founder, why not just disclose it, and ask for help rather than trying to manipulate your app, or your idea to appear as though you don't need help?
I would be interested to know with the odds already stacked against single founders, what the likelihood of a non-technical single founder getting accepted is. I can't imagine it is high. Has there ever been one in YC?
There was one in the batch that just ended - Hamilton Chan, Paperlinks: http://mashable.com/author/hamilton-chan/
It would be great if someone started an incubator devoted to single founders, specifically tailoring the program to address some of the associated shortcomings. Perhaps it could also be a fertile ground to merge any compatible founders into teams. If any angel(s) are looking for a niche in the incubator "market", this would be a pretty good one. Real value can be created if someone can increase the chances of success…
Who is the poster child for the single founder success story?
Jeff Bezos was a solo founder when he started Amazon in 1994. Employee #1 (Shel Kaphan) was brought on before incorporation, but says Jeff was the founder (http://www.geekwire.com/2011/meet-shel-kaphan-amazoncom-empl...)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Who is the poster child for the single founder success story?
Pierre Omidyar was a single founder when he started eBay in 1995. He brought in employee #1 (Jeffrey Skoll), in 1996, and Meg Whitman in 1998. Jeff Bezos was a solo founder when he started Amazon in 1994. Employee #1 (Shel Kaphan) was brought on before incorporation, but says Jeff was the founder ( http://www.geekwire.com/2011/meet-shel-kaphan-amazoncom-empl... )
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Who is the poster child for the single founder success story?
In recent history, Mint.com is the poster child, however there is still an open question about whether he sold too early. Lots of people like to point out Drew Houston of Dropbox as another single-founder success story (and it is!), but he did have a co-founder by the time they presented at Demo Day (if not before YC started, I can't remember which). However, he did apply as a single-founder. Here is his YC S07 appli…
It would be great if someone started an incubator devoted to single founders, specifically tailoring the program to address some of the associated shortcomings. Perhaps it could also be a fertile ground to merge any compatible founders into teams. If any angel(s) are looking for a niche in the incubator "market", this would be a pretty good one. Real value can be created if someone can increase the chances of success…
But then how would the VCs play the founders off one another?
It would be great if someone started an incubator devoted to single founders, specifically tailoring the program to address some of the associated shortcomings. Perhaps it could also be a fertile ground to merge any compatible founders into teams. If any angel(s) are looking for a niche in the incubator "market", this would be a pretty good one. Real value can be created if someone can increase the chances of success…
> It would be great if someone started an incubator devoted to single founders But then how would the VCs play the founders off one another?