Changes at YC • Hacker News Board

Re: Changes at YC

#11

Post by garry » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:51 PM UTC

doodlesdev wrote: post #5

greatpostman wrote: post #3

Wonder if this is related to the current down turn in risk assets and the venture capital blow up

I find it almost impossible to not see them as related. Take a look at [0]. Long-term this could be a good decision, I believe early-stage investing really is different to late-stage investment, but of course the moment to make this decision makes it evident there are other factors at play that influence this. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35114009

Changes of this sort cannot happen in a very short amount of time. The timing was coincidental.

Re: Changes at YC

#12

Post by halfmatthalfcat » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:51 PM UTC

PG and crew have been very proud of the way they've been able to scale YC. This seems to be one of the first times where YC has failed to scale?

Re: Changes at YC

#13

Post by bobleeswagger » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:51 PM UTC

greatpostman wrote: post #3

Wonder if this is related to the current down turn in risk assets and the venture capital blow up

I don't think the timing is random considering the climate. I have a feeling these seventeen will land softly compared to 99.9% of those caught up in recent layoffs.

Re: Changes at YC

#14

Post by dvt » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:51 PM UTC

[flagged]

Re: Changes at YC

#15

Post by ftxbro » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:53 PM UTC

> Seventeen of our teammates are impacted today.

guys maybe they were impacted in a good way tho?

Re: Changes at YC

#16

Post by TedDoesntTalk » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:54 PM UTC

fnordpiglet wrote: post #6

Sorry to everyone who lost their jobs. It can feel like the end of the world and your worth. But I’ve seen throughout my career people land somewhere better. Someone once wise told me the most important saying in the world is “this too shall pass,” which applies to all things, good and bad.

“Everything that arises passes away.”

Re: Changes at YC

#17

Post by djyaz1200 » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:54 PM UTC

I'd be very interested in the specifics of how and why late stage investing is so different that the success of YC in early stages doesn't translate.

Re: Changes at YC

#18

Post by tempaccount420 » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:56 PM UTC

In an already difficult economic climate, it's heartbreaking to hear that these individuals will be impacted by this change in strategy. I hope that YC will do their best to support these team members during this transition.

Re: Changes at YC

#19

Post by toomuchtodo » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:56 PM UTC

Would YC be willing to share more about the effectiveness of the Continuity Fund? A post mortem would be welcomed and valuable imho.

Re: Changes at YC

#20

Post by echelon » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 8:57 PM UTC

garry wrote: post #7

greatpostman wrote: post #3

Wonder if this is related to the current down turn in risk assets and the venture capital blow up

It's not, this is about making YC awesome for early stage founders right at the beginning.

YC does early stage well. Spreading out focus and capital over other stages takes energy away from this.

Other firms already have a good grasp of late stage and it'd be a battle for YC to improve over this.

Maybe YC can return to late stage later when the environment changes.