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Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

ycombinator.com

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Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#21

Post by ashrust »

orangethirty wrote: post #20
staunch wrote: post #11

I think I'm at 2 interview rejections and 1 app rejection. The masochism will stop when the motivation subsides!

May you provide more insight into why the persistence in doing so? I'm curious as to why you would put so much value in joining an incubator when you could spend the same amount of time in growing your business. Funding is not the goal, but gasoline for the vehicle that will take you to your goal. Seems like a waste of time for such little money. I know the "status" from joining the YC program is quite high there, bu…

$92k is enough for 1-4 people to survive working out of their living room for quite a while. That said, the real value of YC is feedback from the partners and your batch mates, followed by the captive audience of investors on demo day.

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#22

Post by orangethirty »

ashrust wrote: post #21
orangethirty wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

May you provide more insight into why the persistence in doing so? I'm curious as to why you would put so much value in joining an incubator when you could spend the same amount of time in growing your business. Funding is not the goal, but gasoline for the vehicle that will take you to your goal. Seems like a waste of time for such little money. I know the "status" from joining the YC program is quite high there, bu…

$92k is enough for 1-4 people to survive working out of their living room for quite a while. That said, the real value of YC is feedback from the partners and your batch mates, followed by the captive audience of investors on demo day.

So its more of the broke-ass-young-hacker-with-a-dream-culture than anything else?

Edit:

From the replies of other members it is obvious that my comment here is not correct.

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#24

Post by staunch »

orangethirty wrote: post #20
staunch wrote: post #11

I think I'm at 2 interview rejections and 1 app rejection. The masochism will stop when the motivation subsides!

May you provide more insight into why the persistence in doing so? I'm curious as to why you would put so much value in joining an incubator when you could spend the same amount of time in growing your business. Funding is not the goal, but gasoline for the vehicle that will take you to your goal. Seems like a waste of time for such little money. I know the "status" from joining the YC program is quite high there, bu…

It costs me nothing but a combined few hours to apply and interview. Given how many YC companies fail it's clear that YC is no silver bullet, but I do think I could get a lot out of it so it's worth the effort and rejection.

Not getting into YC hasn't slowed me down one bit. I'm on my second attempt at growing a business and I'm far smarter and self-aware than when I started. I'm doing quite well on my own now. I'd still probably benefit from YC a lot, but if I never get in then so be it.

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#25

Post by co_pl_te »

rdl wrote: post #4

As a YC alum, I strongly recommend YC to anyone considering it -- even if you don't get in, it's a great way to think about your startup. (Wow, it doesn't even seem like the Winter 2013 were 6 months ago yet. I wonder how much the reduction in class size (previously discussed on HN) will affect YC S13.)

Thanks for the advice. As an n-time YC reject where n currently equals 1, I totally agree it's a great way to think about your startup and an excellent exercise in communication.

I'd imagine n is going to get larger over time for us before we can prove ourselves worthy, but we'll keep applying. In retrospect, I think it'll be fun to look back at all our applications and see what progress we've made and how our idea changes over time. If anything, we'll have a clear message by then. ;-)

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#26

Post by orangethirty »

staunch wrote: post #24
orangethirty wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

May you provide more insight into why the persistence in doing so? I'm curious as to why you would put so much value in joining an incubator when you could spend the same amount of time in growing your business. Funding is not the goal, but gasoline for the vehicle that will take you to your goal. Seems like a waste of time for such little money. I know the "status" from joining the YC program is quite high there, bu…

It costs me nothing but a combined few hours to apply and interview. Given how many YC companies fail it's clear that YC is no silver bullet, but I do think I could get a lot out of it so it's worth the effort and rejection. Not getting into YC hasn't slowed me down one bit. I'm on my second attempt at growing a business and I'm far smarter and self-aware than when I started. I'm doing quite well on my own now. I'd s…

So its more of a value-added activity than anything? Seems expensive to trade 7-10% of your business in exchange of network contacts. Have you ever explored the option of making those network contacts yourself?

Edit to the reply below

I'm just curious as to what benefits you get. I know of the program. Though I'm not their target market.

Im not being pedantic, just genuinely interested in your POV.

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#27

Post by staunch »

orangethirty wrote: post #26
staunch wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It costs me nothing but a combined few hours to apply and interview. Given how many YC companies fail it's clear that YC is no silver bullet, but I do think I could get a lot out of it so it's worth the effort and rejection. Not getting into YC hasn't slowed me down one bit. I'm on my second attempt at growing a business and I'm far smarter and self-aware than when I started. I'm doing quite well on my own now. I'd s…

So its more of a value-added activity than anything? Seems expensive to trade 7-10% of your business in exchange of network contacts. Have you ever explored the option of making those network contacts yourself? Edit to the reply below I'm just curious as to what benefits you get. I know of the program. Though I'm not their target market. Im not being pedantic, just genuinely interested in your POV.

If you think YC is just network contacts you don't know much about it. And yes, I think YC can easily add that much value back to just about any startup.

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#29

Post by rdl »

orangethirty wrote: post #20
staunch wrote: post #11

I think I'm at 2 interview rejections and 1 app rejection. The masochism will stop when the motivation subsides!

May you provide more insight into why the persistence in doing so? I'm curious as to why you would put so much value in joining an incubator when you could spend the same amount of time in growing your business. Funding is not the goal, but gasoline for the vehicle that will take you to your goal. Seems like a waste of time for such little money. I know the "status" from joining the YC program is quite high there, bu…

Just based on probabilities, getting two interviews is pretty good on its own -- that's passing a ~low thousands to ~150 filter. He didn't pass a ~150 to ~50 filter.

Re: Applications open for summer 2013 YC funding

#30

Post by orangethirty »

rdl wrote: post #29
orangethirty wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

May you provide more insight into why the persistence in doing so? I'm curious as to why you would put so much value in joining an incubator when you could spend the same amount of time in growing your business. Funding is not the goal, but gasoline for the vehicle that will take you to your goal. Seems like a waste of time for such little money. I know the "status" from joining the YC program is quite high there, bu…

Just based on probabilities, getting two interviews is pretty good on its own -- that's passing a ~low thousands to ~150 filter. He didn't pass a ~150 to ~50 filter.

Thank you for that data point. Though it raises some points. What failed in such instances? Was the business or the founder? Is this data ever published, or are you just given an empty notice of decline? (Excuse my ignorance in that part, because I have not gone through the process).

edit

Thank you for the thorough explanation rdl.

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