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Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

ycombinator.com

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Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#41

Post by pg »

juwo wrote: post #39
Tichy wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why?

YC is about flipping companies for $millions. They have a formula. They are looking for child prodigies who fit a certain mold. People who walk, talk, think and perform a certain way. It is more like the Iron Curtain coaches who ran schools and would look for potential gymnasts for the next Olympics.

If we have a formula, no one told us. The current group of founders range from 19 to 35, average 25. Their ambitions range from selling for a couple million to going public. Some are very unworldly hackers; others are business guys who don't know how to program. Their projects range from frivolous social networks to deep infrastructure.

I was about to say that all they have in common is that they all work really hard, but even that isn't universal. There are some slackers in each group.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#42

Post by maxklein »

I don't think I'll be applying. Looking through my comments, I see at least 2 instances where pg has answered quite irritated towards me. The rest of my comments are me attacking other potential founders on their poor implementations. I'D not pick ME if I was on the team.

Anyways, let me give a few areas for potential applicants:

1. Organize bookmark tags right. Del.icio.us is nice and all, but things tend to get disorganised

2. iPhone app for public transportation

3. Firefox/IE plugin that makes financial information from bank websites accessible in a global unified format. By financial info, I mean payin/payout history.

4. Debt pay-off site - site that organises the credits of people into a manageable format and tells them what to set aside to get it done with. Include retirement fund as a side option

6. Collaborative website for writing episodes for TV-Shows. Will take fan fiction to the next level. Scriptwriters will like the feedback, and obsessive fans will pay to be part of the inner circle

7. Religious books discussion site. Mix up the religions and abstract the discussion

8. And of course, the favorite of a snappy gentleman like myself - Let people upload pictures of themselves and dress them up in latest purchasable fashion. Find alternatives to expensive designer clothes.

As they say, ideas are cheap. Each has potential if implemented the right way.

I won't be applying, but good luck to all those who will be!

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#43

Post by jsjenkins168 »

Did Winter applications start this early last year?

PG: Given the deadline is still a long ways off, is there a preference for groups to apply early and update the application and demo along the way, or to wait until the end to apply when things are solid? Just curious..

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#44

Post by sethjohn »

blader wrote: post #24
abstractbill wrote: post #9

I may be remembering all this completely wrong, but I seem to recall yc offering a couple of alternatives to the usual application process - that you could apply with no idea, or you could apply with no co-founders and yc would hook you up as an early employee of a yc-funded startup. Am I right about those offers, and are you still making them?

This is just our experience interviewing last season. We applied with two ideas, both with prototypes. The discussion was pretty much exclusively about the idea - how new it is, how easy it is, how interesting it is, whether or not it's porn/music related (either category is probably not a good idea btw). We had a good response to both our prototypes, but ultimately we were told our idea didn't seem different enough.…

Just because they spent the whole time asking you about your idea doesn't neccessarily mean they were mostly interested in your idea...getting someone to talk about their prototype is probably a much better way to guage who they are and how they think than asking "Who are you?, and how do you think?"

Of course I wasn't there, so I don't really know what happened.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#45

Post by sethjohn »

maxklein wrote: post #42

I don't think I'll be applying. Looking through my comments, I see at least 2 instances where pg has answered quite irritated towards me. The rest of my comments are me attacking other potential founders on their poor implementations. I'D not pick ME if I was on the team. Anyways, let me give a few areas for potential applicants: 1. Organize bookmark tags right. Del.icio.us is nice and all, but things tend to get dis…

UG Ad broker. Advertisers list parameters, users make ads, track each viewing via YouTube, etc. to pay the creators.

If advertisers really like the content, let them buy it whole.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#46

Post by dhouston »

maxklein wrote: post #42

I don't think I'll be applying. Looking through my comments, I see at least 2 instances where pg has answered quite irritated towards me. The rest of my comments are me attacking other potential founders on their poor implementations. I'D not pick ME if I was on the team. Anyways, let me give a few areas for potential applicants: 1. Organize bookmark tags right. Del.icio.us is nice and all, but things tend to get dis…

i think they only care what you build, and if you're smart. the idea of blacklists, or pg holding grudges, etc., is pretty silly.

they're pretty clear on this: if you make something people want (or have a demo that shows that you will), you should be fine for the app.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#48

Post by Tichy »

juwo wrote: post #39
Tichy wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why?

YC is about flipping companies for $millions. They have a formula. They are looking for child prodigies who fit a certain mold. People who walk, talk, think and perform a certain way. It is more like the Iron Curtain coaches who ran schools and would look for potential gymnasts for the next Olympics.

Part of the appeal of YC is the opportunity to learn from others...

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#49

Post by juwo »

Tichy wrote: post #48
juwo wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

YC is about flipping companies for $millions. They have a formula. They are looking for child prodigies who fit a certain mold. People who walk, talk, think and perform a certain way. It is more like the Iron Curtain coaches who ran schools and would look for potential gymnasts for the next Olympics.

Part of the appeal of YC is the opportunity to learn from others...

if we are not even given any feedback as to why our applications were rejected, then it seems peremptory and a complete waste of time. Surely, they could have copy-pasted even one summary line from their evaluation sheets? It is a simple courtesy.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#50

Post by blader »

sethjohn wrote: post #44
blader wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is just our experience interviewing last season. We applied with two ideas, both with prototypes. The discussion was pretty much exclusively about the idea - how new it is, how easy it is, how interesting it is, whether or not it's porn/music related (either category is probably not a good idea btw). We had a good response to both our prototypes, but ultimately we were told our idea didn't seem different enough.…

Just because they spent the whole time asking you about your idea doesn't neccessarily mean they were mostly interested in your idea...getting someone to talk about their prototype is probably a much better way to guage who they are and how they think than asking "Who are you?, and how do you think?" Of course I wasn't there, so I don't really know what happened.

That's a solid point - the above was just my subjective impression.
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